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An angry Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman, warned again Monday she would investigate why the FBI did not notify oversight committees about its investigation into CIA Director David Petraeus after the bureau determined he was having a secret and risky extramarital affair. "... A decision was made somewhere not to brief us, which is atypical," the California Democrat told NBC's Andrea Mitchell about how the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate intelligence committees are usually briefed on key developments. "This is certainly an operationally sensitive matter. But we weren't briefed. I don't know who made that decision." Opinion: How Petraeus courted the press . Section 501 of the National Security Act of 1947 spells out the requirements for the executive branch to inform the congressional intelligence committees of key intelligence-related activities. "The president shall ensure that the congressional intelligence committees are kept fully and currently informed on the intelligence activities of the United States, including any significant anticipated intelligence activity as required by this title," the statute reads. Feinstein described the unfolding scandal, which she first learned about on Friday when Petraeus announced publicly his resignation, "like peeling an onion. Every day another peel comes off, and you see a whole new dimension to this." Spokesman: Rep. Eric Cantor knew of inquiry in October . "My concern has actually escalated the last few days," she said. On Sunday, she told Fox News an investigation of the FBI was needed because the illicit affair "could have had an effect on national security." One specific national security concern deals with whether Paula Broadwell, the woman with whom Petraeus had an affair, was privy to classified information. In a speech at the end of October, Broadwell suggested the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, took place because the U.S. was housing Libyan prisoners there -- a theory, she noted at the time, that had not been vetted yet. "I do not know how she got that information," Feinstein said. "We should find out." The claim by Broadwell has since been discounted by administration officials. Scandal is about much more than sex . Feinstein also was incensed that an FBI whistle-blower -- who may have feared the investigation into Petraeus wasn't proceeding properly -- had complained to the office of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, who then was aware of the investigation even before President Barack Obama was informed. Feinstein's committee will meet privately Tuesday to determine how it will proceed on the FBI matter. It is important "that we have an orderly process, that we not jeopardize anyone's rights, that we be respectful," she said, adding that some of the investigation will be done in public and some of it will be behind closed doors. Separately, the committee is conducting an investigation into the fatal attack on the consulate in Benghazi. Petraeus was to testify before a closed hearing Thursday into the attack, but he will now be replaced by Acting CIA Director Mike Morell. "Disciplinary action" could be in order, Feinstein said. Profile: Who is Paula Broadwell? Feinstein said she wants to read a "trip" report that she was told Petraeus filed on his just-concluded visit to Benghazi, where he personally investigated the circumstances of the attack. But after a second person told her the report had not been written yet, Feinstein warned she would move to have it subpoenaed if necessary. She said also that Petraeus will testify before the committee on Benghazi at some point, probably in closed session. Timeline of the Petraeus affair .
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Sen. Feinstein is calling for an investigation of the FBI in handling the Petraeus probe .
"A decision was made somewhere not to brief us, which is atypical," she says .
The National Security Act addresses notifying congressional intel committees .
Committees should be "kept fully and currently informed" on intelligence activities .
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0a6b2556b0114bd358dee0e045eea8d71b11bdea
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James Ward-Prowse has committed his future to Southampton by penning a new five-and-a-half-year deal at St Mary's. A graduate of the club's academy, the 20-year-old has made 77 appearances in all competitions since making his debut in October 2011. Ward-Prowse has become an increasingly important player for Saints and has now been rewarded with a new and improved contract, keeping him at the club until 2020. James Ward-Prowse (left) shakes hands with Ronald Koeman after signing a new deal with Southampton . The England Under-21s international has been with Saints since the age of eight and believes an exciting future lies ahead at St Mary's. "The club is in a fantastic position and ever since I joined the club at a young age I knew it was the right place to be," Ward-Prowse told Southampton's YouTube channel. "I fell in love with the place straight away. "I've been on a fantastic journey, the club has too, and it's great to extend my stay. I'm really excited for the next few years. "You only have to look at the players we've produced over the last few years to see it is the right place." Ward-Prowse crosses the ball in the Premier League clash with West Ham United at Upton Park . Ward-Prowse has made 17 appearances for Saints this season, despite missing a large chunk of it with a fractured foot. He has played a part in all 11 matches since returning in mid-December and is someone Ronald Koeman has high hopes for. "He's one of the young players who is developing himself in a very good way. He will be a great player," the Southampton manager said. Ward-Prowse rues a missed chance in the Capital One Cup quarter final game with Sheffield United . Ronald Koeman has high hopes for the midfielder and has described him as a great example for young players . "It's always good news, I'm happy that he would like to stay with us. It's a good signal to the rest of the players. "He's one of the examples for the academy, to the confidence of the young players. "'Prowsey' developed in the academy and now he's one of the young players who plays for the first team. "He's a good professional, always serious in his training, in his discipline, he's a big example for all young players." Ward-Prowse makes his Southampton debut against Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup back in 2011 .
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The 20-year-old midfielder signs a five-and-a-half-year deal with club .
James Ward-Prowse is a graduate of the club's impressive academy .
He made his debut against Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup in 2011 .
Youngster has made 77 appearances for the club in a all competitions .
Click here for more Premier League news .
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Luke Donald maintained his place at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, but compatriot Danny Willett was hot on his heels. Donald carded a three-under-par 69 to move on to 13 under for the tournament, but only a birdie at the last prevented him having to settle for a share of the lead. Willett produced a blistering round of 65, which featured eight birdies and a bogey, to sit on 12 under. Luke Donald tips his cap after maintaining his lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City . Donald hit a third round 69 to move to 13-under for the tournament ahead of the final round . Ross Fisher made it three Englishman leading the way at the event in Sun City, South Africa, carding a 70 to find himself three shots off the pace. Donald, who on Friday had to duck out of the way of a baboon which had wandered on to the fairway, went through the first 10 holes in four under, but bogeys at the 13th and 17th slowed his progress before he picked up another shot at the 18th. Germany's Marcel Siem sat fourth, but on five under, eight shots behind Donald, suggesting it will be the three Englishmen who will battle it out for the title on Sunday. Englishman Danny Willett is only one shot behind his countryman Donald . Willett carded a superb round of 65 to put himself in contention on Sunday . Donald, who shot a 63 on Friday, said on the European tour website of his 69: 'Pretty pleased with the score. 'I could have played a little bit more solid on the back nine, but to be honest round this course I think, with the lead, shooting 69, that's kind of what the game plan was - to go out there and shoot a solid round, try and keep my nose ahead and put myself in a good position for tomorrow. 'I did that, I thought I felt pretty calm out there and it was nice to finish with a three. 'This is as pleased as I've been with my game for a while. Ross Fisher completes the English threesome at the top of the leaderboard . 'The last year and a half have been very tough, I haven't really given myself many chances. I won just over a year ago in Japan, but I really haven't put myself in position very often in that last year. 'I am excited to be in that position again, that's why we work hard, that's why we practise so much. I'm excited for the challenge tomorrow.' Donald was also pleased to avoid further confrontations with the local wildlife, adding: 'No baboons today fortunately. I didn't have to hop, skip and jump out the way like I did yesterday.' Louis Oosthuizen led the South Africa challenge on four under, in a tie for fifth place with Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee.
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Luke Donald tops the Nedbank Golf Challenge after the third round .
Countryman Danny Willett is one shot behind after a round of 65 .
Ross Fisher is three shots off the pace at the event in Sun City, S. Africa .
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This is the moment a pensioner had to be rescued after 'deliberately' driving into the sea in front of tourists at millionaires' resort Sandbanks. The woman sat motionlessly as the water poured into her Volkswagen Golf off the Dorset coast today. Witnesses described how she wound down both front windows of her car before speeding down a ferry slipway and into the water at around midday. The silver car was swept 100 yards out to sea by the fast tide the unnamed woman refused to move despite cries from the quayside to get out as it went down. Scroll down for video . Rescue: This is the moment a woman had to be rescued after apparently driving deliberately into the sea off Sandbanks . Submerged: The VW sank yards from the home of Premier League football manager Harry Redknapp on the Sandbanks peninsula . Rescue: The woman is led away to safety by RNLI and emergency workers after she was freed from the sinking car . Drama: The woman's car had to be dragged from the water shortly after she herself was pulled from the car . Lucky to be alive: The unnamed woman was rescued by fishermen who jumped into the sea and dragged her out . But the crew of a passing fishing boat then dived into the water and pulled the woman free just moments before her vehicle sank. The soaked casualty was lifted on board next to the Sandbanks to Studland chain ferry - which sits yards from the home of Premier League football manager Harry Redknapp. After being pulled to safety her rescuers went back to the sinking vehicle to retrieve the woman's handbag. Witness Steve Chater-Lea, 45, said the woman drove past a queue of cars waiting for the ferry before heading down the slope at speed. He said: 'She drove past the ferry queue and accelerated down the ramp. It was definitely deliberate, you could tell from the way she revved the engine and the force with which she hit she the water. 'Both her windows were down and you could see her just sat there oblivious to people shouting out to her to get out. She made no movement or attempt to leave the car. 'There were 20 or 30 people stood on the quay about 15 feet away shouting for her to get out. 'There was a strong outgoing tide and the car went about 100 yards towards the sea, getting lower and lower in the water. 'A fishing boat came alongside the car but she still wouldn't get out and one of the crew dived in and pulled her out of the passenger side. 'She was alive and taken to the jetty for the Brownsea Island ferry and into an ambulance.' Shock: Witnesses described how the motorists sped down this ferry ramp and crashed into the water . Fear: This picture was taken shortly after the car went into the sea and quickly it was swept 100 yards out . Witnesses: People on the busy ferry crossing the estuary also captured the moment the boat began to sink . Brave: Workers on a passing fishing vessel saw the woman and dived in to save her from the deep water . This barge with a lifting crane on arrived on the scene about an hour later and hoisted the sunken vehicle out of the water . Damage: The car's bumper and windscreen were both smashed in the impact with the water . Holidaymaker Bob Smallman said: 'I saw the car in the water and we were all screaming for her to get out but she was just holding on to the steering wheel. 'A fishing boat went round to get her out but she didn't want to go, she looked frightened. They were dragging her in the water for a bit. 'They managed to get her out before the car went completely underwater. 'An inflatable boat that took her to safety then went back to the car and rescued her handbag before it sunk. She must have told them about her bag and been adamant they needed to get it.' Witness Ash Naik said 'I was on the phone talking to my friend ad just said 'I have to go'. 'I saw her flying down the ferry jetty really fast. She jumped the queue of traffic and just shot off the end. She was going so fast one of her wipers came off. 'The car windows were open and the car started to sink when it hit the water but she just sat there and didn't move. 'Someone threw a life-ring in the water but she didn't try to get it. One guy jumped in but she was clung onto the door. They pulled her into the boat.' The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for shock and the effects of hyperthermia. The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for shock and the effects of hyperthermia . Busy: Numerous families with children on school half-term and other tourists were on the quayside and surrounding area when the woman drove in . Solent coastguard said they were called in and the woman and the car were both recovered safely . The roof of the submerged car could be seen a few inches beneath the surface of the water. A barge with a lifting crane on arrived on the scene about an hour later and hoisted the sunken vehicle out of the water. Numerous families with children on school half-term were on the quayside and witnessed the incident at 11.58am today. A spokesman for Solent coastguard said: 'A lady driving a Volkswagen car managed to go into the water off the slipway. 'She has been recovered safely. The car was located 30 metres offshore and collected by a local fishing vessel. A spokesman for the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company, which operates the chain ferry, confirmed the ferry had left the Sandbanks slipway and was halfway across the entrance to Poole Harbour at the time. In 2005, a 30-year-old woman deliberately drowned herself by driving off the same slipway into the sea. Helen Hogan lit a cigarette while she waited for her Rover 416 car to sink with her inside it.
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Witnesses describe how woman drove into the water off Dorset at speed .
Pensioner 'wound down windows' and refused to move as water came in .
Crew from fishing vessel dived in to pull her out shortly before car sank .
VW Golf dropped below the water line and had to be pulled out by crane .
For confidential .
support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local .
Samaritans branch or click here .
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By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 13:25 EST, 18 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:57 EST, 19 February 2013 . Burger King is grappling with the trials and tribulations of social media after their Twitter account was hacked by a McDonald’s fan. The branding of their Twitter page, which has more than 89,000 followers, has been changed to feature their rival’s food and even their logo and Twitter name have been changed, appearing as McDonalds @BurgerKing. The first sign of trouble was a post made from the official Burger King account stating: ‘We just got sold to McDonalds! Look for McDonalds in a hood near you.’ The Burger King Twitter account has been suspended after several posts, some racist and offensive, were made by the McDonald's fan over several hours. 'Whopper flopped': Burger King's Twitter account has been hacked by a McDonald's fan who has changed the branding of their page to feature McDonald's food, their logo and their name . From the Burger King account, the hacker promoted McDonald's food, posting: 'Try our new BK (sm) Bath Salt! 99% Pure MDPV! Buy a Big Mac, get a gram free!' Since then there has been a string of Tweets from several Twitter users as news of the hack went viral with many tweeting and re-tweeting posts from the hacker. One Twitter user wrote: ‘Somebody needs to tell Burgerking that 'whopper123' isn't a secure password.’ Another wrote: ‘Yo @burgerking I tried ordering a Bic Mac at the drive through and got laughed at :( #specialsauce’ A Burger King spokesperson told MailOnline tonight: 'It has come to our attention that the Twitter account of BURGER KING® brand has been hacked. Promoting their rival: From the hacked Burger King account, posts such as this one have been posted today, promoting McDonald's food . 'We have worked directly with . administrators to suspend the account until we are able to re-establish . our legitimate site and authentic postings. 'We apologise to our followers who . have been receiving erroneous tweets about other members of our industry . and additional inappropriate topics.' McDonald's denied any involvement in . the hacking, posting on their Twitter page at 6.45pm: 'We empathize with . our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with . the hacking.' Some Twitter users mused over how the official Burger King account could have been hacked. One wrote: ‘The fact that @BurgerKing got hacked and turned into a @McDonalds feed is pretty funny. Never know what is going to happen in social media.’ Another said: ‘We're guessing the @BurgerKing social media team is having a bad day...’ Twitter and Burger King are yet to make any official statements about the incident. Gone viral: Twitter users posted their thoughts on the hacking as the Burger King hacker continued to post from the account . With the fast-food chains and Twitter yet to make any official statement, Twitter users commented on the incident .
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Burger King's Twitter account has more than 89,000 followers .
Their account's page now features a picture of McDonald's food and their logo and Twitter name have also been changed .
Burger King has suspended their Twitter account and apologised to followers who received the erroneous Tweets .
McDonald's denied on Twitter that they had any involvement in the incident .
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0a6c7cbe5aa6c6de9c9e6ab14adc105da4937e9d
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The finger-pointing began almost immediately -- and with good reason. A mere few inches of snow had shut down Atlanta, forcing children to spend the night at schools, stranding drivers on interstates and making the city a laughingstock to the country. Why did this happen? Who's to blame? And, more importantly, could this happen elsewhere? Perhaps. Unlike Boston and New York, with their long-established infrastructures and diverse mass transit systems, Atlanta resembles the new American city. It's not just a city but also a region; a metro area that claims its outlying suburbs as its own -- as do Orlando and Dallas and Charlotte. It spans 28 counties sprawled over an area the size of Massachusetts. On Tuesday, a rare weather phenomenon mixed with poor planning and an overdependence on cars conspired to create a perfect storm. What can other cities learn from Atlanta's debacle? Let's comb through the claims and realities: . Ugly remnants after storm clobbers Deep South . CLAIM: This fiasco could have been avoided if Atlanta had a mass transit system like Boston's or Chicago's . Both Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal put much of the blame on the fact that everyone -- government, businesses and schools -- all tried to go home at the same time, clogging highways for hours. "I said immediately yesterday that releasing all of these folks was not the right way to go," Reed said Wednesday. "If I had my druthers, we would have staggered the closures." REALITY: Yes, it could have . But the problem highlights how Atlanta and cities like it depend almost exclusively on cars. Atlanta does have a commuter train system, but it doesn't serve the whole metro area. While the city has a workday population of 1 million, the metro area's population is 6 million. And when offices and schools let out Tuesday, the masses got into their cars to head to the suburbs. An expansive public transportation system would have undoubtedly alleviated some of the ensuing traffic stress. This week's debacle is also disturbing because if another catastrophe were to hit and roads were the only path out, Atlanta would be in the same situation again. While a recent poll shows that many in the metro Atlanta area support expanded mass transit, the city hasn't figured out a way to pay for it. A transportation tax proposal recently failed, with some saying it would have spent too much money on roads instead of light rail. Was Atlanta asleep at the wheel? CLAIM: Atlanta needs a city government more like New York's . Former Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who coordinated relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, said things would have gone more smoothly this week if Atlanta's city government was more like New York's. "They need to have in Atlanta the same type of government you have in New York City, where the mayor controls the city and everything around that city, and the mayor can make decisions on road closures; he has emergency powers as when schools close," he said. The schools and the government should have been closed Tuesday, he said. REALITY: The metro area has many leaders . Metro Atlanta comprises 140 cities and towns -- most of which have their own leaders making their own decisions. And even within the city of Atlanta, Reed doesn't call all the shots, like New York's mayor. Reed said he doesn't have the ultimate say on some issues. For example, Atlanta Public Schools was responsible for deciding when to send students home. And the state is responsible for clearing interstate freeways. But the mayor also said he would have done some things differently. "We made a mistake by not staggering when people should leave, so I will take responsibility for that -- in lessons learned," Reed said Wednesday. "If we had to do it again, we would have said, 'Schools, you go first, private sector, you go second, and government goes last.' And so I think that would have helped." Snow-stranded children . CLAIM: This was an "unexpected storm," and Atlanta didn't play it safe like New Orleans did . As thousands of Atlanta commuters sat motionless on interstates Tuesday night into Wednesday, Georgia's governor said the path of the storm caught officials off guard. "We have been confronted with an unexpected storm that has hit the metropolitan Atlanta area," Deal told reporters late Tuesday night. He said as of 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday, "it was still, in most of the forecasts, anticipated that the city of Atlanta would only have a mild dusting or a very small accumulation, if any, and that the majority of the effects of the storm would be south of here. Preparations were made for those predictions." REALITY: No it wasn't, and Atlanta should have . The National Weather Service put the entire Atlanta metro area under a winter storm warning at 3:38 a.m. Tuesday. The agency warned of 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation and said it would begin "as early as mid-morning and last into tonight." CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said Atlanta had plenty of warning. Myers himself had predicted that up to 2 inches of snow would fall. In reality, just over 2 inches of snow landed in Atlanta. While that's nothing for most Northern cities, it can be a huge burden for Southern cities not accustomed to it. Contrast Atlanta's response to New Orleans'. It, too, was hit with snow and ice this week, but it decided to play it safe by closing certain roads. To be sure, New Orleans responded slowly to the disastrous Hurricane Katrina. But it's learned to heed warnings. Georgia's governor said he's also learned from this week. "We all have some lessons we need to learn here from this," Deal said. "And I think we all will." Opinion: Stranded in Atlanta . CLAIM: Atlanta didn't pre-treat roads the way Buffalo (and many other Northern cities) do . It was a common refrain from drivers who sat more than 10 hours on Atlanta roads: Where are the salting trucks? Ashley McCants spent half a day in her car before she gave up, got out and carried her son 2 miles to a stranger's house, where they spent the night. During those 12 hours, she didn't see a single salting truck or snowplow. "It was disheartening," McCants said. "I felt like everyone knew this was coming." She said the amount of snow "was not that horrible." But "Atlanta was not prepared for it." REALITY: Atlanta isn't entirely responsible, and the city doesn't have the capacity . While many pointed their fingers at the mayor, Atlanta's only responsible for surface streets in the city. It's actually the state that's responsible for maintaining interstates, where much of the gridlock occurred. The Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner said crews had been deployed farther south, but then scrambled closer to Atlanta as the storm got under way. But the traffic already choking the roads also blocked salt and sand trucks and snowplows. Myers, who is originally from Buffalo, New York, said streets there are salted well in advance of a coming storm. But Atlanta doesn't have the capacity for that kind of treatment. "We simply have never purchased the amount of equipment necessary," he said. "Why would you in a city that gets one snow event every three years? Why would you buy 500 snowplows and salt trucks and have them sit around for 1,000 days, waiting for the next event?" Stranded drivers tell their stories .
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Atlanta doesn't have a diverse transit system .
The city's mayor doesn't call all the shots .
The state, not the city, is responsible for treating interstate roads .
The governor said he was caught off guard by the storm's path .
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0a6d92862f303c30471f3de14e98876b8341dbf8
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(CNN) -- "You are my duchess" was one of the first catcalls Elana Adler wrote down in 2008, after she got into the habit of jotting down the unwanted attention she received from strangers in the streets of New York. Something about it seemed so "dated," she said, and it stuck with her. So would many more of the icky comments from strangers, prompting her to keep a running log of them. Most of the time, she does not respond, and the callers usually seem annoyed by her silence. When she has responded, the outcome is usually, " 'Who, me? What did I do? How dare you respond to me like that?' " she recalls. "I never understood what the callers really wanted to get out of it." Finally, she decided to do something with them. She began cross-stitching them into samplers in what she calls an effort to reduce "the complex emotional experience" of being taunted with harassing, vulgar sentiments into "a simple piece of women's work." A sampler is a decorative piece of embroidery, traditionally included in a hope chest, that demonstrates proficiency in needlework. It also requires a lot of time and concentration. "I wanted to laboriously and painstakingly give attention to all these phrases that were verbally thrown at me in a moment," she said. "Needlepoint made sense to me because of its connotations and how it historically references women's work. I also liked the idea of how laborious it was. That these statements would stick to me or be in my mind for a very long time." She has created 32 samplers for the series, "You are my duchess." She started out with simple words. Now she creates designs around the words, in what she calls the "beautification" of an assault. "The first time I made one, well, I just sat down and started. Then I wondered why I was doing it because it was going to take so long. At that point, looking at one little embroidered phrase that had taken me 8-plus hours to make, well, I wondered how far I would get doing it. I just wanted to have a large collection of them. Power in numbers. "The more I did them, the bigger and more detailed I wanted them. Now, if I want to start one, I cannot help but think big. Big is good, but it takes a long time." What 10 hours of street harassment in NYC looks like .
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Elana Adler cross-stitched harassing comments into 32 samplers .
The series is called "You are my duchess"
The samplers reduce street harassment into a "simple piece of women's work"
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0a6df9fdd840d9d8540a5980329c731669be5196
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Jerusalem (CNN) -- Rockets coming from Lebanon smashed into northern Israel on Sunday near the town of Kiryat Shmona, the Israel Defense Forces said. Israeli forces fired toward the source of the launch, the IDF said. At least 20 Israeli rockets landed in southern Lebanon, according to the IDF and the Lebanese official National News Agency. There were no initial reports of injuries on either side. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the weekly meeting of the Israeli Cabinet, said he blames the Lebanese government for allowing Hezbollah to position rockets in neighborhoods while attacking civilians. "This is a double war crime that is being perpetrated under the aegis of the Lebanese government and army, which are not lifting a finger to prevent this arming and these crimes," he said. He said the IDF responded quickly and forcefully. "We will not allow a drizzle, and we will respond strongly," he said.
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NEW: Israeli PM says attacking civilians while hiding among population is "double war crime"
No immediate reports of anyone being injured .
Israeli military, Lebanese media say at least 20 rockets fired in retaliation .
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0a6e74e3116ca8246fa2d09929b59746973721f2
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(CNN) -- The co-pilot of a plane that crashed in Buffalo, New York, in February was feeling ill and had considered backing out of the flight, according to a cockpit voice recorder transcript released Monday by the National Transportation Safety Board. First Officer Rebecca Shaw said before takeoff: "You know, we'll see how it feels flying." "You know, we'll see how it feels flying," First Officer Rebecca Shaw said as the plane prepared for takeoff. "If the pressure's just too much, I, you know, I could always call in tomorrow." She added, "I'm pretty tough." At a safety board hearing in May, NTSB investigators said Shaw had pulled an all-nighter before she got on the plane. After three days off, she had commuted through the night from Seattle, Washington, catching rides on FedEx flights to get to Newark, New Jersey, investigators said. Colgan Flight 3407 crashed February 12 during an instrument approach to Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. The four crew members and all 45 passengers died; there was also one fatality on the ground. The transcript indicates intermittent sneezes and sniffles during the flight. The report released Monday adds to the factual material connected to the investigation and does not provide analysis into the probable cause of the accident, the safety board said. The other pilot on the flight, Capt. Marvin Renslow had nearly a full day off beforehand, but safety board investigators found that he slept in the Newark Airport crew lounge, against Colgan Air regulations. CNN's Edmund DeMarche contributed to this report.
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Transcripts show that Rebecca Shaw was feeling ill .
Shaw said that if pressure was too much, she could call out the next day .
Colgan Flight 3407 crashed February 12 during approach to Buffalo .
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By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 02:52 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:06 EST, 10 October 2013 . For millions of students the early . weeks of university are a raucous mix of letting their hair down, . getting to know the local nightlife and making new friends. But . for freshers at Cambridge University in the 17th century, even playing . football was seen as unruly and 'boisterous' behaviour. A . rulebook for Cambridge students dating back to 1660 offers a . fascinating insight into what university life was like more than 350 years ago. Strict: The Cambridge University Duport Rules which was handed out to Trinity College students in 1660 which reveals long lie-ins were frowned upon, gossiping was banned and picking your nose forbidden . Dress code: Various scholars in academic dress in an excerpt from the book . Unlike . life on campus today, long lie-ins were frowned upon, gossiping with . roommates was banned and picking your nose was forbidden. Football was outlawed because it was 'a rude, boisterous exercise, and fitter for Clownes then for Schollers.' And . newcomers to the university were also advised to only 'use' tennis . sparingly and never 'immediately after meales' because it was 'too . violent and too stirring'. Code of conduct: Freshers at Trinity College Cambridge (pictured) in the 17th century were told that even playing . football was seen as unruly and 'boisterous' behaviour and tennis should be played 'sparingly' The rulebook was compiled by tutor James Duport and given to new students at Trinity College. It . reads: 'When you reade or speake in your Tutors Chamber, or else where . take heed of picking your Nose, or putting your Hatt or Hand to your . face, or any such odd, uncouth, or unseemly gesture.' Freshers were advised to make friends only with 'honest, studious, religious youths'. Warning against bad language, they were also told to 'avoid all profane scurrilous, unsavoury, rotten, frothy communication'. Fresher: A painting from circa 1660-166, shows a Cambridge University scholar of the period in which the rulebook was in use . The rulebook went to warn that gossiping with friends is a waste of time. It . reads: 'Goe not a gadding and gossiping from Chamber to Chamber, for . that is no recreation, but meere idlenesse and losse of time'. Instead the freshers were told: 'Let your discourse be sauoury & sappy.' Duport's rules also guided students on their appearance. He wrote: 'Wear no boots, nor powder your hair, let yr Garb be grave & sober, yet cheerful & pleasant.' And unlike modern students, 17th century scholars were not allowed to lie around in bed, particularly on Sundays. They were told: 'Rise earlier on the Lords day, then ordinary, and be more carefull to trimme your soules then bodyes.' They had to attend mandatory chapel services and the rule book warned against being late. It . read: 'Use to be at Chappell at the beginning & come not drooping . in (after the uncouth & ungodly manner of some) when almost all is . done.' The students of 350 years ago were younger than today's and were taught a curriculum centred on Latin, Greek and Theology. They were expected to read in the original language of sources and to 'speake Latine alwayes in the Hall'. As . it was a time of political and economic unrest with the English Civil . war students were advised to 'Beware of riot, excess & . intemperance'. Two . handwritten version's of Duport's rules are still held by the Wren . Library at Trinity College and Cambridge University Library. Their . content has come to light again following a comparison of the two . manuscripts, published in a paper by academics Dr Christopher Preston . and Philip Oswald. 'Wear no boots': The rulebook featured instructions on how to behave and even on what not to wear .
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The book was handed to 17th century students at Trinity College .
It was compiled by Cambridge's English classical tutor James Duport .
Scholars are told not to play football or gossip with fellow students .
As well as behavioural tips, the book even tells students what to wear .
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Ralph Ellis runs you through what we've learned this weekend, from Euro 2016 qualifying action to the lower leagues. This week, there as a win for England over Slovenia at Wembley, a precious point for Wales in Belgium and plenty going on in Leagues One and Two. 1. Jack Wilshere’s man of the match award against Slovenia at Wembley suggests he’s finally living up to his early promise as an England player. The Arsenal midfielder has now started six games in a row for England – his longest run in the side since Fabio Capello first picked him as a raw 19-year-old in 2011. The Slovenia victory was Wilshere’s 25th cap – but only the third time he has completed all 90 minutes of an international. Jack Wilshere was named man of the match in England's 3-1 win over Slovenia at Wembley . 2. One of Chris Coleman’s cutest moves was to convince Hull centre back James Chester, born in Warrington, that he could play international football for Wales thanks to his mother being born in Rhyl. The 25-year-old was outstanding alongside Swansea’s Ashley Williams as the Welsh held Group B favourites Belgium to a goalless draw in Brussels. Chester gave the ball away only twice in 90 minutes and made nine clearances – including one that turned Adnan Januzaj’s dangerous cross away from the goal line. In the four qualifying games in which Chester has started, Wales have conceded just two goals. James Chester (right) helped Wales to a valuable goalless draw against Belgium in Brussels . Chester celebrates with Gareth Bale (right) after Wales earned a point which kept them top of their group . 3. Former England manager Fabio Capello signed a contract in January to be Russia’s boss until 2018 – but it’s beginning to look very unlikely he will still be in charge next year, let alone when they host the World Cup. Capello hasn’t been paid since his side flopped out of the group stage in Brazil back in June, with Russian FA officials whispering they can’t afford his £8.6million a year salary. A 1-0 defeat away to Group G leaders Austria in Vienna on Saturday night won’t have done much to encourage them to find ways of coming up with the cash. Fabio Capello saw his Russia side beaten 1-0 by Austria in Vienna on Saturday . Rubin Okotie celebrates after scoring the only goal for Austria in their win over Russia . 4. Sweden was once a fertile hunting ground for English scouts searching for bargain players, but no longer, it seems. Sunderland’s Seb Larsson was the only member of Erik Hamren’s 22-man squad that drew 1-1 in Montenegro who is currently playing in the Premier League. And Larsson, a starter in his country’s 1-1 draw with Russia last month, found himself only on the bench this time before getting on for the last half hour. Sweden were held to a 1-1 draw in Montenegro in their Euro 2016 qualifier . 5. Roy Carroll naturally earned plaudits for dashing home from Romania to keep a clean sheet in Notts County’s win at Coventry – but an even better effort was made by Rochdale’s Matty Lund. The 23-year-old midfielder, an unused substitute for Northern Ireland, needed two flights and a fast car to get back in time to play for Keith Hill’s side at Port Vale. He flew from Bucharest to Frankfurt, then caught another plane to Manchester, before dashing down the M6 only to find himself on the bench again. Lund, a former Stoke youth player, got on for the last 28 minutes but to no avail as Michael Brown’s goal gave the home side a 1-0 win. Roy Carroll played in Northern Ireland's 2-0 defeat by Romania in Bucharest . Carroll was back in action for Notts County 17 hours later and kept a clean sheet at Coventry . 6. The BBC’s commitment to sport remains questionable when they can’t be bothered to run The Football League show on international weekends. No Championship games took some of the glamour out of the weekend but there were still enough big games in Leagues One and Two that were worth covering. In all more than 136,000 people paid to see the 22 games over the weekend. As a comparison, a week ago the Italian Serie A attracted 205,000 fans. 7. Mame Biram Diouf’s first attempt to make it in English football flopped when he couldn’t make it at Manchester United – it maybe didn’t help that he was handed the number 32 shirt previously worn by Carlos Tevez. Second time round in the Premier League, and at the age of 26, he’s showing signs of being ready for the challenge with four goals in 10 starts so far for Stoke. The renewed confidence, helped by getting nearly a goal every two games playing for Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga, is also showing in his international appearances for Senegal. It was Diouf’s goal that clinched a 1-0 win over Egypt to put his country into the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. Mame Biram Diouf scored the goal that saw Senegal beat Egypt to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations . 8. Southampton’s production line of players never seems to stop. Watch out for their England youth international Jack Stephens to be the next to make an impact in the Premier League. The 20-year-old, on loan at Swindon, is normally a central defender but was called into service as an emergency midfielder against Bristol City and was outstanding in the 1-0 win that ended the 22-game unbeaten run of the League One leaders. Jack Stephens, on loan at Swindon from Southampton, in action against Bristol City at the County Ground . 9. James Collins is rebuilding his career at Shrewsbury after a nightmare spell in Scotland when his £200,000 move to Hibernian turned sour. The 23-year-old striker was told in the summer he could leave Easter Road despite having two years left on the contract he signed when he moved north from Swindon in 2013. His goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Mansfield was his eighth of this season, already two more than the former Aston Villa trainee scored in a miserable year that ended with Hibs getting relegated. James Collins scores Shrewsbury's second goal in their 2-0 win over Mansfield . 10. Keith Curle appeared to have taken a mission impossible when he returned to management in charge of a Carlisle team who were rock bottom of the Football League and without a win all season. Two months later he’s lifted them six points clear of the relegation places after the 1-0 victory against Accrington which was his fifth win in eight games. Key has been the signing of free agent Derek Asamoah. The striker hadn’t played in England since 2007 when he walked out of Shrewsbury to force a move to Nice – and since then has been in Scotland, Bulgaria and South Korea before coming home without a club to go to. The 33-year-old former Ghana international got his fourth goal in five games against Accrington. Derek Asamoah celebrates after scoring the winner for Carlisle against Accrington .
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Jack Wilshere was named man of the match in England's win over Slovenia .
James Chester starred in Wales' 0-0 draw against Belgium in Brussels .
Fabio Capello is under even more pressure with Russia after another loss .
Jack Stephens, on loan at Swindon, could be Southampton's next prospect .
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United Nations (CNN) -- The United Nations is trying to put sexual violence on the international policy map, telling political and military leaders that wartime mass rape "is no more inevitable than, or acceptable than, mass murder." Rape is being used by armed groups to reignite flames of conflict and to terrorize and humiliate communities in Africa, according to Letitia Anderson, women's rights specialist with the U.N.'s Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative. The U.N. is monitoring five countries closely because of sexual violence in conflicts. The five are the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Liberia, the Darfur region in Sudan, Chad and Cote d'Ivoire (formerly Ivory Coast). But it's not just Africa at which the U.N. is looking; it's cross-regional, Anderson told CNN. She said armed groups are branding the bodies of women and children with signature patterns, as cattle are branded, in places such as Congo, leaving scars so that their families and community members know they are victims of aggravated sexual violence. U.N. officials cite not just the mass scale of such crimes, but the horrific nature of the crimes as well. "Many are child soldiers, and they maybe have to rape their mother or their siblings and then kill them afterwards," said Margot Wallstrom, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative on sexual violence in conflict. There have been no reparations for survivors in Africa because of the complete collapse of the legal system during conflicts, Anderson said. Wartime rape "is one of the great peace and security challenges of our time," she said, but added it "has been the least condemned and most silenced war crime." Wallstrom told reporters recently that in modern war, "rape is not a side effect, but it is actually a new frontline." U.N. action on that frontline has included a 2008 Security Council unanimous adoption of a resolution acknowledging rape as a tactic of war and an impediment to peace. With the U.N.'s Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, U.N. representatives have tried to put sexual violence in the spotlight. In May, Wallstrom took the U.N.'s message to the Democratic Republic of Congo where, she said, more than 200,000 women have been raped in the past 12 years of conflict . She visited Liberia in June and learned rape is still the No. 1 reported crime. One government survey in a Liberian county in 2005-2006 found that 92 percent of 1,600 women interviewed reported that they had experienced some form of sexual violence, including rape. Tackling stereotypes about the crime of rape will help ease the shame many societies attach to rape, and initiating discourse is the first step "to break the silence," she said, repeating a well-known phrase among anti-rape advocates worldwide. Her message is motivated by the women and children she's met, Wallstrom said, adding, "Survivors are their own best advocates." "The word 'woman' is not synonymous with 'victim' or 'vulnerable,' " Wallstrom added. "The women that I've met in the DRC, in Liberia, are agents of recovery and change." As the U.N. initiative works to fight against wartime rape and to protect victims of that crime, Wallstrom sees her own U.N. role in a highly personal perspective. "I'm responsible not only to the secretary-general and Security Council," she said, "but above all, to the survivors of this soul-shattering crime."
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Wartime rape is "the least condemned and most silenced war crime," U.N. official says .
U.N. initiative aims to put sexual violence in conflicts on international policy map .
U.N. is monitoring five countries because of sexual violence in conflicts .
In Congo, more than 200,000 women have been raped in 12 years of fighting, U.N. says .
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Andy Carroll has revealed the shocking state of his knee after major surgery on the injury that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. The 26-year-old West Ham striker suffered torn ligaments in his left knee during West Ham's 0-0 draw with Southampton last week and had surgery on Tuesday. After previously posting a picture of his swollen and bandaged leg, Carroll took to Instagram again as he shared images of his wounds. Andy Carroll reveals his wounds after having surgery on torn knee ligaments . The West Ham striker shared the images on his Instagram account after going under the knife on Tuesday . Carroll injured his knee but stayed on the pitch after West Ham had made all three of their substitutes . The 26-year-old England international will miss the rest of the season following surgery on the injured knee . Carroll has posted a picture of his bandaged and swollen knee on his official Instagram account . September 2012 - Picks up hamstring injury in his first game on loan - out for a month . November 2012 -Twists knee against Manchester United - sidelined for two months . May 2013 - Damages heel in the last game of the season - out for seven months . July 2014 - Tears ankle ligaments in pre-season - sidelined for four months . February 2015 - Tears knee ligaments against Southampton - out for the season . The pictures reveal a large scar down the side of Carroll's knee with two further incisions close to the kneecap and just above it. Carroll at least appeared in good spirits following the surgery, posting the caption: 'That's knee modelling out the window!! Great job by Mr Andy Williams.' Fears over Carroll's injury grew after pictures emerged of the striker leaving St Mary's on crutches following the Southampton stalemate. Speaking last week manager Sam Allardyce had hoped that Carroll would only be out for between four and six weeks but a specialist later confirmed the England international required surgery. West Ham striker Carroll was pictured leaving St Mary's on crutches after Southampton draw . The injury is a major blow to Carroll, who has started just 24 games in the last 18 months because of three different injuries. Carroll made his first appearance of the season in November because of ankle problems that required surgery in pre-season. Hopes were high after Carroll scored five goals in 11 league starts. But the former England striker then injured his left knee against Liverpool on January 31 and it was on his return from that injury that Carroll, appearing as a substitute against Southampton last Wednesday, suffered his latest problem to the same knee. With West Ham having used their substitutes and down to 10 men, Carroll stayed on the pitch to help grind out the 0-0 draw. With hindsight, that decision appears to have backfired on a player who cost West Ham £15m in June 2013.
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Andy Carroll tore his knee ligaments against Southampton last week .
The West Ham striker will miss the rest of the season after surgery .
Carroll posted images on Instagram after going under the knife .
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By . David Kent . Eden Hazard had his very own Ellen DeGeneres moment as a portion of the Belgium World Cup squad posed with the maverick on Tuesday. The Chelsea forward took the picture - which includes a plethora of Premier League stars including Marouane Fellaini, Mousa Dembele, Romelu Lukaku and Adnan Januzaj - that ended up looking like the famous Oscars selfie of earlier this year. Manchester United midfielder Januzaj had made his Belgium debut on Monday night in the Red Devils' rampant win over Luxembourg, with Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku bagging a hat-trick. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Adnan in his first senior training session for Belgium . All smiles: Plenty of the Belgium squad, including Eden Hazard and Adnan Januzaj pose for a selfie . Did it beat this? Famous showbiz names from around the globe gathered for this snap at the Oscars . Salute: Lukaku scored his first ever hat-trick for Belgium in the win over Luxembourg . Red Devil: United man Adnan Januzaj opted to play for Belgium last month . Trebled: Romelu Lukaku bagged a hat-trick in Genk against Luxembourg . Icing on the cake: Tottenham's Nacer Chadli celebrates after scoring the fourth for Belgium . The 19-year-old committed himself to . Belgium last month despite being elibile for Albania, Kosovo, and even . England in time for the 2018 World Cup. Januzaj said after the game : ‘It's my job to play one touch, to dribble, to entertain the crowd a bit.’ 'I wasn't under much pressure. I'm used to playing in front of 80,000 at Manchester United. I am happy with my debut.’ Belgium manager Marc Wilmots admitted, however, that a starting place in the side is not a guarantee for Januzaj. 'He . gives us an extra dimension,' said Wilmots, but warned Januzaj was . still far off getting his spot. 'He faces a lot of competition.' Lukaku opened the scoring after three minutes, finishing well after being teed up by Marouane Fellaini. Joachim . equalised from long-range for Luxembourg on 13 minutes, but Lukaku . regained Belgian's lead 10 minutes later after a defensive mix-up. Power: Romelu Lukaku piles through the Luxembourg defence in the first-half . Aware: Luxembourg's Aurelien Joachim (right) passes Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne . Former club mates: Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne share a moment after the third goal . United . star Januzaj made his debut, coming on at half-time as Marc Wilmots . ringed the changes, with Vincent Kompany and Eden Hazard rested among . others. And Lukaku, who was . on loan at Everton last season, sealed his treble by running past two . defenders and driving low into the net. Tottenham's Nacer Chadli added a fourth, finishing well after good work by the hosts down the right. And . the Premier League dominance shone through again, with former Chelsea man Kevin . De Bruyne slotting home a penalty late on to complete the rout. 'It was a good performance,' said Lukaku. 'What makes me happy is that we performed as a team.' Belgium had Sammy Bossut in goal, who would normally be the fifth-choice keepers but because of injuries and an extended rest for No 1 Thibaut Courtois, he had a winning debut. Simon Mignolet was still suffering from a sore muscle in his hip and Wilmots decided to rest him. Belgium play Sweden on Sunday and Tunisia on June 7 in its final warm-up games ahead of leaving for Brazil. Play it safe: Chelsea's Eden Hazard attempts to get an effort in, but was rested at half-time . Tussle: Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini (centre) in action against Luxembourg's Chris Philipps . Passionate: Belgium's fans get behind their team ahead of the pre-World Cup friendly .
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Marc Wilmots' side took the photo after training on Tuesday .
Chelsea striker Lukaku had bagged his first hat-trick for Belgium against Luxembourg on Monday night .
Tottenham's Nacer Chadli and Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne completed rout .
Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj came on for his first Belgium cap .
Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen, Marouane Fellaini and Kevin Mirallas also starred .
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A debate in the House of Lords is the last place you expect to hear someone fantasise about making love to George Clooney. But it is precisely what cheeky typist-turned-Tory Minister Tina Stowell did when she persuaded fuddy-duddy peers to back gay marriage laws. Lords Leader Baroness Stowell used Clooney to explain how a man who married another man could only sue for adultery if his partner had sex with a woman, not a man. For example, she told dumbstruck peers, if Clooney married a gay man and then had a fling with her – ‘and who could blame him?’ she added coyly – Clooney’s ‘husband’ could sue him for adultery with her. Crush: Baroness Stowell, who referred to George Clooney in a debate, with a cardboard cut-out of the actor . Sure enough, a photo of Stowell alongside a life-sized cardboard cut- out of the star has pride of place in her tennis court-sized, red leather and wood-panelled Lords office, where we chatted. ‘I’ve had a soft spot for him ever since I saw him in ER,’ she says. ‘I needed to relax peers who were tense about gay marriage, so I thought, “I’ll bring in George Clooney.” ’ And fantasise about having sex with him? ‘A bit of humour helps,’ she smiles. Stowell is to extend the gay marriage laws in the next few weeks, allowing gay people who took part in civil partnerships before gay marriage was legalised to ‘upgrade’ it into a formal marriage. ‘It’s important for them to say not “I’m sort of married” but that they are married,’ she says. When Stowell was made Lords Leader – a Cabinet Minister in all but name – in July, some grandees were appalled, even more than when she was ennobled three years ago. They reacted with the same haughty disdain that Downton Abbey’s Earl of Grantham showed sparky kitchen maid Daisy on learning she was studying maths instead of washing dishes. ‘Tina should be pushing the tea trolley at Cabinet, not sitting at the table,’ scoffed one, a reference to her having been PA to John Major and William Hague. In truth, ‘the Earl of Downing Street’ David Cameron had exposed her to such insults by denying Stowell full-blown Cabinet status – and £22,000 extra pay – given to her predecessor. Stowell, 5ft 1in, faced a revolt led by Baroness Betty Boothroyd, who accused the PM of ‘trampling on the constitution’. Didn’t little Tina feel cowed by all these people fulminating at her? ‘I don’t feel intimidated by anybody. I was brought up to believe I’m as good as anyone else.’ Spoken like Daisy. Stowell's doggedness and impish charm was widely credited with wooing reluctant peers to her cause . Stowell, 47, whose dad Dave was a painter and decorator and mum Margaret worked in a factory in the same street as their terrace house in Beeston, Nottinghamshire (‘it was posh, we had an inside loo’, she laughs) left her local comp aged 16 with five O-levels. She showed her gritty determination aged 14, landing a weekend job at a cake shop. ‘They said I couldn’t work out front until I knew the price of all 100 cakes,’ she says. ‘When I went back the next week, they couldn’t believe I knew them all.’ How much was a doughnut? ‘12p,’ she answers. ‘If I saw a big queue outside I’d try my hardest to get it down and it brought a big smile to my face when I did.’ Doesn’t it require loftier thinking to be a Cabinet Minister? She swats it away like a fly on a sticky bun. ‘The Lords may seem a million miles from the cake shop, but those people in the queue are who I think of when I do my job here,’ she says. Her cool confidence and prim porcelain glamour is a far cry from the unworldly lass mistaken for a hooker when, aged 18, she was dropped off by mum and dad at a hostel in London, for her first Civil Service job as a secretary. ‘I was stopped by a bloke who said “Are you looking for business?” I said “Sorry?” I didn’t know what he was on about. When I told the girls in the hostel, they said “Didn’t you know? This a red light area”.’ Her horizons widened with a stint at the British Embassy in Washington, and she joined Downing Street when John Major was Prime Minister. She recalls her rage when she overheard a plummy-voiced Tory sneer at ‘ignorant’ Major, unaware his loyal PA was listening. ‘The very things people criticised him for like his humble background are why I admired him. I don’t like snobs,’ she says. She formed the same bond with the next Tory leader William Hague, adding: ‘When he stepped down, I sobbed my heart out.’ But there were tears of joy when, a decade later, now a Minister with her own PA, she piloted the gay marriage laws through the Lords. ‘I was choked with happiness,’ she says. Baroness Stowell told dumbstruck peers that if Clooney married a gay man and then had a fling with her, Clooney's 'husband' could sue him for adultery with her . First she had to persuade crusty peers to take notice of someone who had never been married herself. Again she deployed her ‘friend’ George Clooney, telling the Lords bold as brass in her broad Nottinghamshire accent: ‘I’m single but as long as George Clooney is available I’m prepared to wait.’ Even peers who raged about the ‘evils of buggery’ softened. Stowell’s doggedness and impish charm was widely credited with wooing reluctant peers to her cause. That was a year ago. Clooney is married now. ‘It’s his loss, there you go, no more excuses,’ she grins. She has never been short of male admirers, so why no marriage? ‘No one ever asked me!’ You have to go looking. ‘Maybe I’ll start.’ Mmm. Perhaps it is the price she has paid for her career? ‘No,’ she says firmly, ‘I don’t rule it out, though I’m probably past having children. Mum drilled it into me never to be financially dependent on a man, get a job, fend for yourself.’ The gay marriage law made her a gay icon, leading to awards from Pink News and Spectator magazine. Stowell’s, dare I say it, rather raunchy, pixie-like Twitter photo has a hint of the Judy Garland in it. She is dolled up, albeit on a budget. Her black and berry Precis Petite jacket is £79 from the suitably conservative House of Fraser. Some gay rights campaigners have speculated whether petite Stowell is gay? ‘Oh really?’ she replied. Is she? ‘No,’ she says, her bright blue bush baby eyes gleaming. And she is again quick to scotch any idea that she may never marry. ‘If a fantastic guy turned up and offered me a life better than the one I have now, why would I say no?’ she says. ‘Now George Clooney is taken, I’m back on the market.’
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Lords Leader used Clooney to explain how a man who married another man could only sue for adultery if his partner had sex with a woman, not a man .
She is to to extend the gay marriage laws in the next few weeks .
Will allow gay people who took part in civil partnerships before gay marriage was legalised to 'upgrade' into a formal marriage .
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0a71d57a729f09912ede073f3050790d09d4484f
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The shortlist for the Society of Biology’s Photographer of the Year reveal has been revealed - and it includes a stunning array of images from across the natural world. In the competition there are two categories, the regular Photographer of the Year and the Young Photographer of the Year. The theme of this year’s competition was Home, Habitat and Shelter and the 12 shortlisted entries include a chick embryo growing inside an egg and a sea turtle eating a jellyfish. Scroll down for video . The shortlist for the Society of Biology’s Photographer of the Year reveal has been revealed - and it includes a stunning array of images from across the natural world. The theme of this year’s competition was Home, Habitat and Shelter and the shortlisted entries include a a sea turtle eating a jellyfish (pictured) More than 800 entries were received for the competition run by the Society of Biology, a professional body for bioscientists. The competition tasked amateur photographers with thinking creatively about the unique ways animals, plants and organisms exploit their environment in order to survive. Photographs were allowed to focus on anything from biology research just amazing images of an animal in its natural environment. The society hopes the theme will inspire insight into biodiversity, conservation issues and genetic diversity. The winners will be announced on Tuesday 14 October at the King’s Fund, London as part of Biology Week 2014; the winner of the adult prize will earn £1,000 ($1,630), while the best young photographer will scoop £500 ($815). More than 800 entries were received for the competition run by the Society of Biology, a professional body for bioscientists. Pictured are two bisons on the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park- the largest colourful hot spring in the US . In this image, parasitoid wasps building clay pots (bottom left) and providing a paralysed caterpillar as food for offspring inside (top right) It was taken by Thomas Endlein . Siblings watering newly planted seedlings. To mitigate the environment destruction caused by quarrying, the people living near the wawa dam (former water reservoir), planted a forest of mahogany trees . Judge Tim Harris, from the Nature Picture Library said, ‘We were impressed by the variety of entries this year, in both subject matter and geographical location. ‘There was some stiff competition in the adult category, and some great images from the younger age group too. ‘It was refreshing to see some unusual and imaginative interpretations of this year’s theme, and especially some which related the theme to man as well as animals.’ One of the stand-out images is of bison walking past a spring in Yellowstone National Park. According to Tim Harris, speaking to MailOnline, the colours in the spring are natural and arise from chemicals and the algae within the water. ‘It’s obviously quite a hostile environment, which particularly struck us,’ he said. ‘The colours and shapes and composition are interesting in that picture. ‘And it’s good to see bison in the frame, to give you a sense of scale and also how animals can survive in extremely hostile environments. The competition tasked amateur photographers with thinking creatively about the unique ways animals, plants and organisms exploit their environment in order to survive. Pictured here is a spider at sunset in its natural habitat . Judge Tim Harris, from the Nature Picture Library said, ‘We were impressed by the variety of entries this year, in both subject matter and geographical location. Pictured here is plant quickly taking advantage of the available shelter of a dilapidated house . An adult female Italian crested newt stationedbelow the fresh water surface. This image was taken in Italy. ‘There was some stiff competition in the adult category, and some great images from the younger age group too,' said judge Tim Harris . In another image a turtle is seen eating a jellyfish, something Mr Harris explains is fairly common in the natural world. ‘Jellyfish are the main food of marine turtles, that’s what they routinely eat,’ he explains. ‘What was particularly arresting about that image was the colours in it. ‘I’ve seen plenty of photos like it before but not one with such strikingly colour jellyfish. ‘It’s a very bold and arresting image that stood out.' A female blackbird holding a dried mealworm inher mouth set in a suburban garden. This incredible image was taken by Billy Clapham at home in Lincolnshire . On the right, a chick embryo in a hardened eggshell is sustained until full development. On the left, a tarsier is pictured in its natural habitat . In another image parasitoid wasps - those that spend a large party of their life attached to another organism – are shown making ‘clay pots’. According to the photographer Thomas Endlein: ‘Parasitoid wasps expend a lot of effort in providing a good start for their offspring: not only do they build shelter in form of intricate clay pots but they also provide food in the form of paralysed caterpillars. ‘The caterpillar needs to be just the right size to fit through the narrow opening of the pot to reach the growing larva inside. ‘In the picture, several stages of this behaviour are shown: in the bottom left a wasp is busy adding a `mouthful' of clay to the rim of an almost finished pot. Another wasp is just about to feed in a caterpillar through the opening of the pot, and the wasp in the bottom right is sealing the opening.’ In the competition there are two categories, the regular Photographer of the Year and the Young Photographer of the Year. In this image A farmer protects his family and animals from mosquitoes . A majestic leopard is spotted in its natural habitat. The image was taken by Kabini Karantaka in India. The winners will be announced on Tuesday 14 October at the King’s Fund, London; the winner of the adult prize will earn £1,000 ($1,630), while the best young photographer will scoop £500 ($815)
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The images are part of the shortlist for the Society of Biology's Photographer of the Year award .
There are nine photos taken by adults competing for a £1,000 prize run by the London-based society .
There were more than 800 entries, with photographs allowed to focus on anything in biology .
The winners will be announced on Tuesday 14 October at the King’s Fund in London .
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0a71f063b78184b4ca2ffee3c642d48dc27ef91b
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Smiling again: Lavern after she had reconstructive surgery to fix her nose a second time . Lavern Barnes booked a cosmetic surgeon to straighten out her ‘bumpy’ nose. But her botched operation left her with even more bumps. She later found he had a record of botched operations and had been temporarily struck off. Beauty therapist Lavern, 51, had disliked her nose all her life. She took the advice of a client who was a nurse and booked an appointment to see surgeon Ravi Agarwal at his Chester clinic. It turned out he was the nurse’s boss. Lavern’s consultation with Mr Agarwal . lasted less than ten minutes. He claimed that he could fix her nose . without breaking it and with minimal bruising. He told her it would heal . within a week. ‘That was all the time I could take off work so it sounded fine,’ says Lavern. Believing Mr Agarwal to be an expert, Lavern decided to go ahead. But alarm bells rang the next time they met. Just minutes before the operation Mr Agarwal told Lavern that he would also be changing the tip of her nose. ‘I . told him that wasn’t what I had asked for. He had drawn markings on my . nose and it was only when I argued with him that he suddenly scribbled . new markings across my nose. Then that was it.’ The £3,400 procedure was carried out in 2009 in an operating theatre at the back of an office block in Manchester. Afterwards . Lavern had to walk to the recovery room and just half an hour later, . with bloody gauze to hold under her nose, she was sent home. ‘I was . still bleeding heavily and was given a lift home by the nurse. It was . traumatic to say the least.’ A week later Lavern, from Northwich, Cheshire, discovered that underneath her gauze lay a broken nose, with more bumps than it had before. ‘I had a bump on the bridge where he had broken my nose and a bigger bump lower down. The original bump had also moved. 'I . felt really disappointed but Mr Agarwal quickly said it was swollen, . it would settle down and I would have to come back in to have it be . rasped down further. 'I’d never had an operation like this before so I . didn’t know what to expect, and believed him. I thought it would all be . OK.’ Broken and scarred: Lavern's nose after the bad surgery in 2009 which cost her £3,400 . Over the following week Lavern’s nose . began to collapse. ‘I was really upset and worried. I went back to him . but he said I should come back after six months to a year, to allow it . to heal first. I was distraught, it looked horrendous.’ Lavern . sought a second opinion from another Cheshire-based plastic surgeon, . Douglas McGeorge, who told her the nose would need rebuilding and to . demand a refund. But Mr Agarwal’s clinic refused to give her money . back. ‘I was angry and devastated with the way . my face looked. I didn’t want Mr Agarwal to perform any more operations . on my nose. There was no way I would let him near me.’ Lavern sought legal help from medical . negligence experts Irwin Mitchell and discovered Mr Agarwal had been . struck off by the General Medical Council in 2003 for botched penis . enlargement operations. He had appealed and was given a three month . suspension and allowed to return to work in 2004. Lavern says: ‘I felt so stupid. I should have checked him out before.’ Last year, Mr Agarwal agreed to pay a five-figure sum to Lavern. Since then she has had £4,247 reconstructive surgery carried out by Mr McGeorge. ‘It has been a nightmare,’ she says. ‘I can’t believe Mr Agarwal was allowed to operate again after being struck off.’ Mr Agarwal said due to patient confidentiality, he could not comment. there are key questions you must ask your cosmetic surgeon before booking an operation, says Michael Cadier, president elect of BAAPS. A good surgeon will ideally give the answers below. Q Are you on the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register? A Yes. Those offering surgery should be on the register, for which there are stringent rules. They must have done the requisite training and have passed a specialist exam. Go to gmc-uk.org and enter the surgeon’s name. It will give their GMC reference number, date of registration and speciality. They don’t have to be plastic surgeons – but they should have relevant experience. For example ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeons can perform rhinoplasty (nose jobs). Overseas surgeons must be on the GMC register. If not, they are working illegally in the UK. Q How many procedures like mine do you carry out? A More than 20 a year. Statistically, a surgeon performing this number gets a better outcome. Breast reduction and uplifts are counted as the same surgery. Q How long have you been performing the procedure? A Five years is a reasonable amount of experience and the ideal answer. If not, the surgeon needs to show sufficient training or have a mentor to vouch for them. Q What are the risks involved with this kind of surgery? A It depends on the health of the individual and the nature of the surgery. Risks are based on a surgeon’s assessment of your physical and mental health. Q What is your complication rate for this procedure? A Under five per cent. More than this for any procedure is concerning and would need to be explained. Q What is the likely outcome – will it meet my expectations? A Yes. You should be given a realistic idea of what to expect. Many surgeons will show before-and-after shots of their work. Q Do you have appropriate insurance in the UK? A Yes. I recommend going to a big hospital group such as BMI, Spire, Ramsay or Nuffield. The practitioners are independent and have their own insurance – usually between £3million and £10million, without which they can’t practice. Q Does the cost I am paying now cover all aftercare? A Yes. You need to confirm the cut-off point in terms of timing. I – and many reputable surgeons – will give a cut-off point of a year, after which you may be required to pay for any further treatment. Other companies may only give you three months. Q Who looks after me if something goes wrong at the time and I need further treatment? A We do. If there is an acute problem, the surgeon who performed the operation and the hospital should look after you at no extra cost to yourself.
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Lavern Barnes, 51, paid £3,400 for a nose job in 2009 to fix her 'bumps'
A week after the surgery she lifted the gauze to discover a broken nose .
The surgeon had previously been struck off, but allowed to return to work .
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0a71f3a41f197b6053252692209beff9c692c4df
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Baghdad (CNN) -- Former President George H.W. Bush is getting his old foreign policy team back together on the 20th anniversary of the Gulf War. The reunion is being held on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, where the Bush presidential library is located. A roundtable discussion by the Bush team is expected to include the 41st president, former vice presidents Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney, who was secretary of the defense at the time, and former secretaries of state James Baker and Colin Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Iraq invaded on August 1990, declaring Kuwait its 19th province. The United States led a counter-offensive starting January 16, 1991. The United Nations lifted Saddam-era sanctions against Iraq in December, a largely symbolic step toward Iraq regaining full sovereignty and its status in the international community. More than 1,000 people -- or their remains -- are still missing, including Iraqis, Kuwaitis and others. Iraq is also continuing to pay off its war reparations to its neighbor. Baghdad says it has paid about $30 billion to date and still has to pay more than $20 billion more. The money is deducted from Iraq's main income, oil revenues.
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George H.W. Bush gathers war cabinet at Texas A&M .
Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, and the U.S. led a counteroffensive in January 1991 .
Baghdad continues to pay reparations to its neighbor .
About 1,000 people who disappeared have never been found .
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0a72d04b9b36a08f5c014fd8c8ecee670a8fce1b
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CLARKSDALE, Mississippi (CNN) -- Pat Davis was just 10 years old when two black men came into his father's barbecue joint in the heart of the Mississippi Delta in 1947. A huge fuss ensued, with four racists shouting every name in the book. Pat Davis operates Abe's BBQ. His father was a Lebanese immigrant in Mississippi and defied segregation. "My daddy went over to their table and said, 'These are people who want to eat just like you want to eat. You don't bother them. You leave them alone,' " Davis says, the incident seared in his mind six decades later. "They told Daddy he could lose his business by letting black people come in." It's not unusual to find a barbecue restaurant in the South where the ribs are so good you want to run home and kiss your mom. But it's a rare find to discover the South's main delicacy cooked up by Lebanese immigrants in Mississippi, who defied segregation and who've been doing it since 1924. Welcome to Abe's BBQ, a living testament to good eats and to good people, where civil rights were put to the test and won. In the end, racism took a back seat to slow-cooked pit barbecue. Today, Abe's remains one of the oldest restaurants in Mississippi. Step inside, view photos of Abe's » . It's named after founder Abraham Davis, who arrived in Mississippi from Lebanon in 1913 when he was 13 years old. Abe's sits at The Crossroads, the landmark spot at Highways 49 and 61 in Clarksdale where legend has it that blues king Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Two giant guitars jut into the sky marking the spot where the deal went down. You might be pausing here. Lebanese in Mississippi? Defying segregation? Sounds like something out of William Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County. As you sit down with a platter of ribs this Labor Day weekend, this is one barbecue story you might enjoy over cole slaw, baked beans and beer. The town of Clarksdale is located about 70 miles southwest of Memphis, Tennessee, with a population of about 20,000 people. It was once known as the "Golden Buckle in the Cotton Belt," complete with Lebanese, Italian, Chinese and Jewish immigrants along with local blacks and white plantation owners. Much of the immigrant population has moved on. The town these days is perhaps best known for the Delta Blues Museum and for the nearby Ground Zero Blues Club, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. Blues purists may point you around the corner to Red's juke joint, a ramshackle place where raw Delta blues oozes from the walls. On this night, Eli Paperboy Reed and the True Loves brought the house down. But it's Abe's that has stood the test of time. Abraham Davis started his pit barbecue as the Bungalow Inn in 1924. It moved to its current location around 1936, and Pat Davis renamed it after his father in 1960. Davis says being an immigrant -- or in his case, the son of immigrants -- gives one a better respect for all people. "It was a humbling feeling, and we knew how the blacks must've felt," he says. "Being Lebanese, my parents weren't truly accepted as first-class citizens when they first got here." Andrew Clark, a 58-year-old African-American, worked at Abe's from 1962 to 1990, beginning when he was 16. He says Abe's is a symbol of great barbecue and a shrine to the civil rights struggle. "They didn't see us as colored. They saw us customers," Clark says. "It didn't matter whether you were white or black ... I never seen them turn down anyone." Sometimes he'd hear racist comments from white customers. When that happened, Pat Davis always stepped in. "The whole family is really, really great people," Clark says. "This place really has good roots to it." Pat Davis refers to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as a prophet, "because any time you change things for the better, you've got to come from God." He says change didn't come easy. Many of the local blacks, he says, didn't want his family to be harmed, so they often followed segregation laws. It was when blacks from out of town came that things began to change. "They would come through the front and inside," he says. "My daddy never refused anyone no matter what color, race or religion. That's my philosophy as well." He says his father, who always carried a Bible written in Arabic, was "just doing the right thing." A hand-painted mural on the wall of Abe's depicts a pig with a fiddle in his hand, a pork sandwich and beer at his side. The hog is grinning from ear to ear, much like Abe's faithful customers over the years. "He's satisfied even though he's eating one of his kinfolks," Davis says with a chuckle. If you're in Clarksdale but not in the mood for barbecue (something's wrong with you, if so), then you'll want to head just up the road to an even more authentic Lebanese restaurant. Rest Haven dishes out kibbe, grape leaves and a host of other Lebanese delicacies, along with traditional American cuisine. Chafik Chamoun, a first generation Lebanese-American, established Rest Haven in 1954. Like Abe's, Chamoun says he has always welcomed people of all races. He peddled wares to black workers on plantations when he arrived in the United States, and learned to see past skin color at an early age. "I made a living with the black people all my life," he says. "I never refused one of them." "Most people tell me how glad they are that I serve them, that my business is here," says Chamoun, 75. I pause and tell Davis and Chamoun that stories like theirs aren't celebrated enough in Mississippi, that "all we hear about is bad sh--" coming from these parts. The men burst into laughter. They nod with approval. They say their message is one of love, honor and respect. And, oh yeah, one more thing: Great food.
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One of the oldest restaurants in Mississippi defied segregation .
Abe's BBQ in Clarksdale was founded by Lebanese immigrant Abraham Davis .
"We knew how the blacks must've felt," says son Pat Davis .
Long-time worker: Abe's is symbol of great barbecue and the civil rights struggle .
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0a7427c3a6098c2d06a70aee42a97b0d754a06ae
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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- A government school in southern India has tested pupils' karate skills by running over their outstretched arms with a motorcycle. K. Devarajan, the director of elementary education in Tamil Nadu state, told CNN that the event, held recently, was organized with the consent of parents. State education authorities have now asked schools not to carry out such activities because they violate safety guidelines, which he claimed were already in place in state educational institutions. Devarajan said officers visited the school after learning about the controversial show. Newspaper pictures Tuesday showed a motorcyclist driving over the limbs of a row of schoolchildren lying with their faces down in the state's Villupuram district. It also showed smiling adults standing behind the young children. The act aimed to show the strength the students had gained from their karate classes, Devarajan said. Nobody was injured, said P. Perumalsamy, a senior state education official. The students involved were aged between six and 13, he added.
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Indian schoolchildren run over by motorcycle in karate exercise .
Officials says parents approved of test of children's karate skills .
School has been told not to hold such an exercise again .
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0a74ab0ebb290844e61c3630b37fa6fff8cf2213
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Preparing for Christmas is a mammoth task for everyone, but for grandmother Sylvia Pope getting ready for the big day requires three months of hard work. The bauble-loving pensioner is forced to start hanging her decorations in September to make sure they are all up by Christmas Day because it takes so long to attach each one to her ceiling by hand. The 72-year-old spends a few hours each day creating the festive masterpiece, that will this year contain a staggering 2061 balls - 10 more than last year. Bauble-loving grandmother Sylvia Pope, 72, started putting the Christmas decorations up at her home in Swansea, South Wales, in September . Mrs Pope spends a few hours each day perfecting the colourful creation to ensure that it is complete by December 25 . 'I absolutely love Christmas and my grandchildren's faces light up when they see all the baubles. It really is magical for them and that is all that really matters,' said the 72-year-old. The living room at her home in Swansea, South Wales, is plastered with baubles from around the world. She says: 'This year I've bought 10 new baubles and my new addition include Mary Poppins, Captain Hook and Peter Pan. I already had Tinkerbell. My grandchildren love the films those characters are in. 'My favourite Christmas film is Miracle on 34th Street, but I haven't managed to find a bauble for that film yet.' She started collecting them in 1999 and has ones from around the world. Once Christmas is finished Mrs Pope carefully removes each bauble from the ceiling, individually wraps them and stores them in 36 boxes in her attic. She then has the 2,000 holes in her ceiling filled in, before re-painting it, so that it is ready in time to start again for next year. She started collecting the baubles in 1999 and now has a massive collection of 2061 festive balls from across the globe . Once Christmas is over the 2061 festive balls will be carefully taken down, individually wrapped, and stored in 36 boxes in the grandmother's attic . Mrs Pope said that she may be forced to have her ceiling re-skimmed after Christmas this year to fill in all the holes created by her decorations. This year Mrs Pope has added 10 new additions to her display, including baubles featuring Mary Poppins, Captain Hook and Peter Pan . After the festivities this year the grandmother thinks that she may have to have her ceiling re-skimmed by a professional plasterer. 'Some people think it is over the top and tacky but when they see it for real its completely different. Most people love them and think they look fabulous'. Mrs Pope's collection also includes Disney characters, a London red bus, a New York taxi, aeroplanes, an old fashioned telephone and helicopters. She said: 'I normally spend about £100 a year on new baubles and visit all the festive markets to find new ones. This year I have spent about £80 so far but I haven't finished yet. 'When I go to the markets I normally find one I want to buy. I never get bored of buying new baubles.' 'My grandchildren and play 'I Spy' with the different baubles. We have great fun. 'Who knows maybe I could make the Guinness Book of Records one day.' Mrs Pope said: 'I normally spend about £100 a year on new baubles and visit all the festive markets to find new ones' The 72-year-old explained that she 'absolutely loves Christmas' and her 'grandchildren's faces light up when they see all the baubles' She said her grandchildren enjoyed playing 'I Spy,' in a bid to spot all the different baubles .
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Grandmother Sylvia Pope spends three months decorating her house in Swansea, South Wales for Christmas .
When the festive display is complete she will have 2061 baubles hanging from the ceiling of her home .
The 72-year-old starts the creation in September and says that she does it for her grandchildren .
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0a75fd8e32d13a20c48f96ddc8a74721f7f930f1
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By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 11:37 EST, 26 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:38 EST, 26 September 2013 . Athletes such as Usain Bolt (pictured) have distinct genetic codes that give them their explosive and sustained fitness, according to a new study . Scientists have discovered a certain genetic characteristic, or genotype, is more common in power athletes like sprinters than in normal people and even endurance athletes. Usain Bolt and Mo Farah have distinct genetic codes that give them their explosive and sustained fitness, according to a new study. Polish researchers found the variety of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene is two to three times more common in elite power athletes than nonathletic people. The adjustment to the AGT gene may alter how the renin-angiotensin system performs, changing the way blood pressure, body salt, and fluid balance are regulated in the body. But scientists think the characteristic might give the likes of Bolt a boost by increasing the production of a hormone called angiotensin II, which is crucial for muscle performance. Genetic tests on Polish international elite power and endurance athletes who had competed in World and European Championships, World Cups, or Olympic Games as well as non athletes, were carried out by Dr Ciszczyk of University of Szczecin in Poland. Overall, 100 power-oriented athletes, including sprinters, jumpers and power lifters as well as 123 endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners, swimmers and rowers were tested, while 344 non-athletes were studied for comparison. They found the adjustment to the AGT gene was found in 40 per cent of power athletes, compared 18 per cent of non-athletes, while it was found in just 13 per cent of the endurance athletes. However, results published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed there was no real difference between the higher and the lower ranks of elite power athletes who had the gene. 100 power-oriented athletes, including sprinters like Mo Farah (pictured right), plus 123 endurance athletes and 344 non-athletes were studied for comparison. Scientists found the adjustment to the AGT gene was found in 40 per cent of power athletes, compared 18 per cent of non-athletes . The scientists pointed out that while the characteristic was nearly three time more common among the power athletes than endurance athletes, the exact effect the gene had on strength and performance was yet to be determined. Pinpointing the exact genes that make people stronger or faster will have implications for all sports and their elite competitors in the future, according to Dr Ciszczyk. She said: 'Identifying genetic characteristics related to athletic excellence or individual predisposition to types of sports with different demands (power or endurance oriented) or even sport specialty may be decisive in recognizing athletic talent, and probably will allow for greater specificity in steering of sports training programs.'
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Polish scientists found Usain Bolt and Mo Farah have distinct genetic codes that give them their explosive and sustained fitness .
University of Szczecin researchers said the variety of the AGT gene is two to three times more common in elite power athletes than nonathletic people .
The exact effect the gene had on strength and performance was yet to be determined .
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0a76ad8292cf58cd07fbf65ff091d5eaa67245c4
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(CNN) -- Michelle Obama, never one to turn down an opportunity to champion healthy eating, has co-opted a popular tune -- and, in six seconds, created a viral sensation. Here's how it happened. In an #AskTheFirstLady segment, Barack Obama impersonator Imman Crosson, or @AlphaCat, asked Obama, "How many calories do you burn every time you 'turn up'?!" (That's lingo for ... well, in the safest sense, cutting loose). Her six-second response, posted on the White House Vine account? Well, just watch. Yes, that's the first lady dancing with a turnip. It's a take on DJ Snake and Lil Jon's "Turn Down for What." The result? Cool points, and a cool point made. Obama is known for her commitment to health, especially among children and young people. Her "Let's Move" campaign aims to "solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation." So she's not entirely uncomfortable wielding a vegetable. This isn't her first foray into pop culture to get us to eat our veggies. Earlier this year, she starred in a "Tonight Show" skit called "Ew!" The first lady taught Sara, played by Jimmy Fallon, and Stacy, played by Will Ferrell, that being active and eating right isn't so "Ew!" Michelle Obama appears in 'Snackpocalypse'
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Her Vine was a response to a question posed by an Obama impersonator .
It's a take on an uber-popular song .
Obama is known for her commitment to health .
This isn't her first foray into pop culture to get us to eat our veggies .
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0a7734e6e5d8d3fe2b472f07659d91fae9f8ba0d
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By . Joani Walsh . Having . travelled to The Gambia every year for more than a decade on family . holidays, nurse Victoria Ord knew what precautions to take. Her . vaccinations were up to date and she had packed enough high-factor . sunscreen to protect all of her extended family during their two-week . trip. She also started taking daily anti-malarial medication before she left Britain to ensure she was protected. Victoria Ord's malaria pills stopped working after a stomach bug while in Gambia . Despite . her medical training, however, Victoria, 37, did not know that the . 24-hour stomach bug she picked up halfway through the holiday would . render those doxycyline tablets useless. And the bug, although unpleasant, was not even that severe. 'I . had my birthday during the holiday and woke up feeling sick that day so . skipped breakfast, but took my anti-malarial as usual and had just a . cup of tea,' says Victoria. 'About an hour later I started vomiting and . carried on being sick for the rest of the morning.' She was well . enough to go out later for a birthday dinner with her husband Jay, 41, . and ten-year-old daughter Madison, joined by the rest of the family, . although she didn't have much of an appetite. By the next day she was . feeling better, but the damage had been done. Within four days of . returning home, Victoria was in a resuscitation room in A&E, . delirious and too weak even to stand. She had malaria, which can be . deadly. Just this weekend, 21-year-old British aid worker Christi Kelly . died in Kenya after contracting the disease. She, too, had been taking . anti-malarials. Victoria had visited a wetland area known for its mosquitoes, but hadn't even noticed the bite mark . Tests revealed Victoria had falciparum malaria, the . most severe form of the disease, and she was immediately taken to . intensive care where she was put into an induced coma. At one point, Jay . was warned his wife might not survive. Victoria had visited a wetland area known for its mosquitoes, but hadn't even noticed the bite mark from the insect. 'Because I'd been taking my anti-malarials every day I never thought I could be at risk,' she says. The . problem with doxycycline and most other popular anti-malarials is that . they have to be taken every day to keep enough levels in the blood to . suppress malaria as it's developing, explains Dr Nick Beeching, senior . lecturer at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. 'So a period of . sickness or diarrhoea, even over just a day or two, could leave you less . protected - and it takes a little while afterwards for the medication . to return to optimum levels,' he says. And it's not just . anti-malarials. The potency of any daily medicine, including those for . long-standing conditions, can be affected by sickness and diarrhoea, . says Sultan Dajani, of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. 'If you've . vomited within three hours of taking medication, its effect will be . compromised,' he says. 'And if you're on medication for cardiovascular . or stroke-related conditions - to regulate heartbeat, control blood . pressure or prevent blood clots, for instance - that could be life . threatening.' Often those on medication are unaware that they are, in effect, missing a dose if they have a stomach upset. 'People . think that once a pill is swallowed, the effect is immediate,' says Dr . Tony Steele, GP and medical director of the Dr Fox online clinic. 'Vomiting or diarrhoea can effectively mean a missed dose and it can be . critical - enough to throw some patients on medication for heart . problems into heart failure.' Dr Steele has known of patients on the . blood-thinning drug Warfarin to suffer a blood clot because of a missed . dose through an upset stomach. There are others at risk, too. For women . taking the contraceptive ill, even a minor stomach upset can reduce its . effectiveness and result in an unplanned pregnancy. With drugs that . have a long-lasting effect, such as thyroxine for thyroid problems or . medication for osteoporosis, a couple of days of sickness won't cause . too much of a problem, according to Mr Dajani. But, he warns: . 'Losing a day's worth of epilepsy, asthmatic drugs (excluding inhalers) or those for mental health conditions such as schizophrenia can have . serious consequences.' Diarrhoea can be more problematic than vomiting. The resulting dehydration and the effect this has on your levels of . potassium and sodium (electrolytes that help regulate fluid levels) can . also affect how drugs are absorbed, adds Dr Steele. 'This can, for instance make digoxin, which regulates irregular heartbeat, ineffective.' So if you are on daily medication and have an upset stomach what should you do? 'You . should repeat the dose as soon as possible and seek medical advice if . you are sick again within three hours of taking the replacement dose,' advises Mr Dajani. With diarrhoea you should also keep up your . fluids and take rehydration sachets to replace lost electrolytes. And . make sure you discuss a sick-day management plan before you even go away . - again, with your pharmacist or GP. 'Everyone should know what to . do in unforeseen circumstances - if they become ill with another . condition that may affect their medication, they lose their drugs, their . tablets get wet or, say, they're on insulin which needs to be kept in a . fridge, but there's a blackout at their resort,' says Mr Dajani. Victoria . started to become seriously ill the day after she returned home to . Stockport, Cheshire, in November 2011. Her symptoms began during her . first night shift back at Stepping Hill Hospital. 'I felt freezing . cold and so achy the next morning, that I went straight to bed when I . came home and didn't have the strength to get up again,' she explains. 'But I thought I'd just picked up flu coming back to a cold November . from the heat of The Gambia.' Victoria pictured in hospital with multi-organ failure . After three days without any . improvement, Jay, a hospital driver, had noticed Victoria's breathing . quickening as she slept, and that her golden tan appeared to be turning . yellow. 'He contacted our GP who said I'd already called and been . told it was probably flu - but I was becoming delirious,' Victoria . recalls. 'Jay told him I couldn't remember making the call and asked . if I'd mentioned we'd just returned from Africa. The GP ordered Jay to . get me straight to hospital.' Jay had to support his wife down the . stairs to their car to take her to A&E at Stepping Hill, where she . rapidly began to deteriorate. 'Doctors were able to tell quite quickly . from looking at my blood that it was malaria, but I didn't believe them. I kept telling them I had been taking the pills, that I'd been “good” and done what I was told,' Victoria says. She was transferred to . intensive care where she was put into an induced coma - she also . developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, inflammation of the lungs . that reduces oxygen levels in the blood, and had to be put on a . ventilator. She needed dialysis to help her kidneys function as they . were failing as a result of blackwater fever, a complication of malaria . caused by red blood cells bursting in the bloodstream as they are . infiltrated by the malaria parasite. The number of Britons who suffer from gastroenteritis each year . She was also suffering from jaundice and cerebral malaria as the parasite caused inflammation of the blood vessels of the brain. Treatment . began immediately with intravenous doxycycline, an antibiotic, and . quinine to clear the parasite from her bloodstream. 'I was brought . round every day for doctors to be able to monitor my reactions for . improvements. It was the scariest part because I was so disorientated. 'I . could see balloons and bright lights and thought I was in a freight . container being taken back to The Gambia to be married off.' She was . transferred to North Manchester General Hospital's infectious diseases . and tropical medicine unit. It took another two weeks - while she . remained in a coma - before she started to improve. It took three weeks before she was allowed to return home and ten months before she was well enough to return to work. A . recent survey for online doctor service Pharmacy2U found one in ten had . travelled without vaccinations or malaria medication - many lured by a . last-minute deal. 'Putting a holiday before your health is very . foolish, not least because these diseases can be fatal and are often . also a horrible way to die,' says Dr Beeching. 'Neither can you ignore . minor health problems because their impact can be similarly . devastating.' Victoria is now all too aware of this. 'I thought I . was doing everything I could, without ever realising the impact of a . minor stomach bug on my good intentions.' malarianomore.org.uk .
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Victoria Ord, 37, knew what precautions to take on a trip to Gambia .
Nurse from Cheshire caught stomach bug and malaria pills stopped working .
Caught severe falciparum malaria and ended up in hospital with organ failure .
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0a77e07a55de5b44271f9487bd2b8b1a80c9e880
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With its £50million price tag, this Grade II listed mansion already sounds like a home for someone with very deep pockets.That’s before you realise that the buyer will have to spend a further £20million restoring it. The run-down property, in Mayfair, is believed to be Britain’s most expensive ‘fixer-upper’ – estate agent slang for a home in need of a full refurbishment. But whoever buys it could be making a shrewd investment, as it is likely to be worth £100million after renovation. The mid-18th Century mansion, which has fallen into disrepair over the years, is set to attract keen interest from the super-rich, who often compete over trophy homes. Once restored, it will boast seven palatial bedroom suites, eight state rooms, a leisure complex and a private cinema. The main suite will span 2,000 sq/ft – twice the size of the average new UK home – and include ‘his and hers’ dressing rooms. There will be a mews home for staff, a wine room and several high-security vaults. The terraced property is thought to have been built after 1750, with previous residents including the Earl of Camperdown and the Marquis of Anglesey. Peter Wetherell, of estate agents Wetherell, said: ‘We anticipate a fierce battle by super-rich bidders. Once converted, it will be one of London’s most outstanding mansions.’ Exterior of property: London's most expensive fixer-upper has been put on the market for £50 million - and will need another £20million spent restoring it . Prime location in Mayfair: The Grade II -listed mansion has spent years in decline and is now a wreck, requiring a full restoration . Needs work: The property is in the middle of Mayfair, one of the world's most desirable locations, and billionaires are now preparing to battle over it . Scaffolding outside: The super-rich are looking at mansions in the same way they see mega-yachts and are playing wealthy games on one-upmanship . Top spot: The property is located near Green Park London Underground station - although it's unlikely the owners will ever need to use public transport . Going up in the world: The Mayfair property is likely to attract much interest from potential buyers, despite the appalling state in which it is available . Upstairs, downstairs: A fireplace sits below nature decorations on the wall (left), while a staircase inside the property is also pictured (right) Falling apart: A bath and sink in one bathroom (left), and a broken toilet and peeling wallpaper in another (right) Ultimate fixer-upper: A ground-floor room is in serious need of repair work, but sits in one of the most desirable parts of the whole of Britain . Bolted shut: Many elements of the property - such as the door bolt and key pictured - are looking old and will be modernised during the refurbishment . Looking desperate: The property has plenty of potential to become a wonderful abode for a billionaire, but is clearly in serious need of refurbishment . Floors and wallks: The bare floorboards can be seen in multiple rooms (left) and a detail of the door frame is pictured up close (right) Bare cabinet: There is plenty of work to be done on the property, but once it has been refurbished it will be a prime property in a superb location . Archaic look: The Mayfair mansion has spent years in decline and is now a sorry wreck, requiring a full refurbishment . Red walls: A hole can be seen in the roof of this room, but it has plenty of potential to be turned into a luxury dining room or lounge, with the large windows providing light . Changes: It could be transformed into one of Britain's finest city homes after the huge renovation project that is planned . Spacious: A light fitting, fireplace, windows, mirrors and wooden floor are the basis for what the developers have to work with in this room . Work to do: The property could be transformed into one of the UK's finest city homes worth a staggering £100million after renovation . Bedroom: There will an eight person lift, a mews home for guests or staff, a wine room, office, catering kitchen and a number of high security vaults . New look: The property currently has listed Chinese wallpaper and silk wall mountings which will be removed and reinstated as part of the refurbishment . Relaxing: The home is thought to have been built after 1750 by John Phillips and George Shakespeare after entering an agreement with Lord Berkeley of Stratton . History: Previous residents have included George Fieschi Heneage, MP for Lincolnshire (1836-1867), The Earl of Camperdown (1867-1918) and The Marquis of Anglesea . Sit back in comfort: Another view of the entertainment room, with a sofa, plenty of cushions and a large television screen . Plush: Artist's impression of the dining room at the mansion, with a fireplace to the left, chandelier above and deep windows at the back . Luxurious: Another view of the dining room, which has a portrait above the fireplace and various other artwork. Glasses and a bottle can be seen on the left . Walking through: Artist's impression of how a corridor or reception area could look at the property, with paintings on the wall and a marble floor . Well lit: Another artist's impression of the refurbished house by Martin Kemp Design shows the type of decor that buyers would expect to see . View of trees: Another artist's impression of a bedroom in the mansion, which is available in one of the most exclusive areas of the country . Posh wash: The bathroom has an unusual formation of mirrors and also has pictures hanging on the wall . Lengthy appearance: A rectangular room with sofas and a table, as well as a TV screen which is mocked up to show a BBC News programme . Visual aspect: Various different portraits and photographs can be seen in this corridor - which appears to be covered in nothing but pictures . Hot property: The wood-panelled sauna room in the extensive house, which is on the market for an eye-watering £50million . Staircase: This artist's impression shows how different the entrance to the property will look once the refurbishment has taken place . Style: Ladies' hats and handbags are displayed in the centre of this room, which also features a fireplace and a set of cupboards . Reading material: Another artist's impression of one of the many lounges in the huge property, which also has plenty of books on the shelves . Light in the dark: Light fittings hang from the ceiling in a mocked-up view of the kitchen, with a table and sink in the frame . Food and drink: The kitchen is viewed from the reverse angle, looking out into the open. BBC News is again seen on a television screen . Pricey: Estate agent Wetherell, expects oil royals, African moguls, billionaires and property developers to look at the home - also being marketing by Beauchamp Estates . Plenty of colours: A bust is seen on the mantlepiece and glasses are in the cupboard on the left of this room, which has a black and white carpet . Comforts: Rolled up towels and another hanging on a towel rack are seen in this room, which also has a wash basin . Swimming pool: The mid-18th Century home will boast seven palatial bedroom suites, eight state rooms, a leisure complex and private cinema when completed . Billiards table and globe: The property has been put up for sale with estate agent Wetherell for a jaw-dropping £50million . From old to new: After World War Two, the property - like many in Mayfair - was converted to commercial use . Mayfair's finest: The area is undergoing its biggest overhaul in 100 years, with these grand properties being converted back into homes for the super-rich . Come outside: An artist's impression of how the garden at the £50million London property could look, with seating areas and parasols . Aerial view: When completed, the mansion will be worth £100million - and this value could double within the decade with prices expected to skyrocket in Mayfair .
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Home will boast seven palatial bedroom suites, eight state rooms, a leisure complex and private cinema .
Main bedroom suite will be spread across 2,000 sq/ft, which is twice the size of the average new UK home .
There will be an eight person lift, mews home for guests or staff, wine room, office and high security vaults .
Property currently has listed Chinese wallpaper and silk wall mountings which will be removed and reinstated .
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0a786778917ba4f6884e2ecc2ee3b848dc7c2179
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A row has broken out after Ryanair pilots accused the airline of putting cost-cutting ahead of passenger safety by forcing crews to fly with limited fuel in order to save money. Speaking anonymously on a Dutch television programme, four pilots said they often found themselves on the brink of making distress calls during flights because their planes were so low on fuel. But Ryanair has strenuously denied the pilots' claims that they are under pressure from management to carry as little fuel as is legally allowed to help keep costs down. Safety concerns: The Ryanair pilots spoke anonymously to Dutch television programme KRO Reporter . The pilots said on the programme that the 'stress' of the situation was affecting their decision-making while at the helm of . passenger jets. When asked by Dutch television programme KRO Reporter if he ever felt pressure to take less fuel on a journey than he would like, one unidentified pilot replied: 'You feel it everyday.' Another explained that the less weight a plane carries, the less fuel it burns, making flights more cost efficient. Former Ryanair pilot Ian Somner, who also appeared on the programme, described an 'oppressive regime' at the airline where he said staff were 'bullied' by management. The claims emerged after the airline was told to carry out a review of its fuel policy in September when three of its planes were forced to make emergency landings in Spain on one day when they started to run out. 'Oppressive regime': Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has denied claims pilots are under pressure to fly with as little fuel as is legally allowed . But the airline told the MailOnline today that the claims, published in the Sun newspaper, were 'false rubbish'. A spokesman said: 'These claims have no validity and originate from a Dutch TV programme which featured anonymous contributors in darkened rooms. 'The reason these anonymous contributors did not want their identities revealed is because there was no truth to their claims.' Ryanair said all its pilots were allowed to take as much fuel as they wished to take, which in all cases was more than the minimum reserve amount. The spokesman added that Ryanair was issuing defamation proceedings against the Sun in the wake of its article. 'Bullying': Former Ryanair pilot Ian Somner likened the airline's management to an 'oppressive regime' on the programme .
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Four Ryanair pilots told a Dutch television programme they are being forced to fly with the minimum amount of fuel allowed by law to keep costs down .
They claimed they are regularly on the brink of making distress calls because their planes are so low on fuel .
Ryanair has insisted its pilots are allowed to take as much fuel as they wish to on their flights .
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0a78dbac48b7c90effc5c8635d81df8d7dd21262
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(CNN) -- After years plagued by injuries and scandal, Tiger Woods pulled away from his competition Sunday to capture his first PGA Tour win since September 2009. Months after capturing the BMW Championship, Woods became a tabloid fixture for his affairs with several women that led to the end of his marriage. His golf game also suffered significantly in the 3 1/2 years since, thanks in large part to various injuries. Yet he had proved successful in the past at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, having won six times before this weekend at the course in his long-time hometown of Orlando, Florida. He walked up toward the 18th green Sunday to fervent applause, tipping his hat to fans. He ended up tapping in on that hole for par, to finish five strokes ahead of second-place finisher Graeme McDowell. Palmer: The old Tiger will be back . "It feels really good," Woods told NBC, which covered the event. "(It was) a lot of hard work, I'm so thankful for a lot of people helping me out along the way. It's been tough." The tournament's namesake, Arnold Palmer, did not congratulate the winner as expected because of a health problem that led to his going to Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando. Alastair Johnston, chief operating officer of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, explained in a statement that the 83-year-old golf giant's blood pressure -- when checked 15 minutes before Woods wrapped up the contest -- was "at a level where the doctor involved suggested that he go immediately to get more intensive evaluation at the hospital." "I think the blood pressure situation is starting to ameliorate," Johnston said after talking with Palmer's daughter. "Nobody is overly concerned about the prognosis, although he is going to remain in the hospital overnight for observation." After his victory Sunday, Woods took to Twitter to express his joy and also send out well wishes to Palmer. "Heading home now and I can't stop smiling. Thanks to Otown fans and everyone watching for all the love. Get well soon, Arnie," he wrote. Woods, who has won 14 Grand Slam titles, had won the 2011 edition of the World Challenge tournament that he hosts. But until Sunday, he had been still searching for a comeback win in an event with a full field. His next big tournament will be next month's Masters, the Grand Slam event held each year in Augusta, Georgia. Despite earlier concerns that he may be hindered once again by injuries, Woods expressed optimism and enthusiasm Sunday that he'd do well. "I am excited. It's always fun to get there, and it's always fun to play," he said. "(It is) all coming together at the right time."
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NEW: Woods writes on Twitter, "Heading home now and I can't stop smiling"
He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida, by five strokes .
It's the golfer's first PGA Tour victory since September 2009 .
Arnold Palmer didn't congratulate Woods due to a blood pressure problem .
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0a79b6759b353b0209e24307b5b041647d58c316
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A married Premier League footballer who already has three children by his wife and mistress has just taken a second bride in his native Cote'Ivoire. Cheick Tiote, 28, who earns £45,000 a week playing for Newcastle United, reportedly wed Laeticia Doukrou in a traditional ceremony earlier this month, saying taking another wife was 'nothing unusual' given he is a Muslim. But news of the second wedding came as a surprise to his first wife, Madah, 25, who is said to have only found out about it on Facebook. Madah, who lives with Tiote and their two children in a £1.5million house in a village outside Newcastle, reportedly fainted with shock when she saw the photographs of her husband marrying another woman. Meanwhile the midfielder also has a one-year-old child with mistress, 33-year-old Zimbabwean Nkosiphile Mpofu, known as Nikki. Scroll down for video . Wife Number 1: Newcastle United star Cheick Tiote, with first wife Madah, is said to have taken a second bride . Wife Number 2: Midfielder Tiote, 28, who is a Muslim, has married Doukrou Laeticia in his native Ivory Coast . And the mistress: Nkosiphile Mpofu, known as Nikki, has a son, Rafael Tiote, by the footballer from Cote d'Ivoire . His agent today confirmed reports he had got married for a second time. Jean Musampa said: 'I can say that he did get married and that it is his second marriage. 'This is nothing unusual. He is a Muslim.' The footballer, who can have four wives under Islamic law, is also said to have insisted to friends that having several partners is commonplace in his native Ivory Coast. A source told The Sun: 'He doesn't see a problem with having two wives. 'It's perfectly acceptable in his culture. He doesn't see he has done anything wrong and doesn't know what the fuss is all about.' But his first wife, Madah, is said to have felt rather differently. According to Ivorian news website iMatin, Madah wasn't aware of her husband taking a second wife, and found out about it through social media. They reported that she fainted when she saw the photos of her husband marrying another woman - whose name she did not know - on Facebook. Home: Tiote lives in a large stone farmhouse in a picturesque village near Newcastle popular with footballers . Newcastle United's Cheick Tiote reportedly says he 'doesn't know what the fuss is all about'. Right, the footballer appears in court in Newcastle last year charged with string of motoring offences . The first Mrs Tiote is now said to have forgiven her husband, but his 33-year-old Zimbabwean mistress, Ms Mpofu, is believed to have recently ended her three-year affair with the footballer after he allegedly promised to make her his wife. While she was said to have been 'comfortable' with his being married, she apparently decided to call the relationship off because he 'used me like a mop'. Ms Mpofu was pictured earlier this week leaving a Waitrose store in the village where Tiote lives with his family, with her son by the footballer, Rafael. Newcastle United was not available for comment. Tiote received interest from Lokomotiv Moscow during the summer and was thought to be keen on a move to Russia. He remained on Tyneside after Lokomotiv failed to make an acceptable offer, but his contract is set to expire in 2016. South African President Jacob Zuma has four wives . Polygamy was abolished in the Ivory Coast in 1964. The West African country is one of few African countries to have outlawed the practice, which in theory is punishable by a fine or a jail term of up to three years. The practice of men having more than one wife has been blamed as a factor in spiralling rates of HIV in African women. But men cling tenaciously to what they see as their 'right', whatever the law says. Local customs as well as Islam permit a man to have more than one wife, and it is still common practice among Cote d'Ivoire's population of 22million. Polygamy tends to be more prevalent among the animist (a form of spiritualism) and the Muslim communities. Under Sharia law, polygamy is completely legitimate as Muslim men are permitted to take up to four wives. In Senegal it was reported that nearly 47 per cent of marriages feature multiple women. South African President Jacob Zuma has four wives and is a vocal supporter of polygamy. It is legal in South Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Morocco and Malaysia. In Iran and Libya it is legal with the written consent of the first wife. In other places it is illegal but the law is rarely, if ever, enforced. Some anthropologists believe that polygamy has been the norm throughout human history. In 2003, New Scientist magazine reported that, until 10,000 years ago, most children were fathered by a comparatively small number of men. Polygamous marriages may not be performed in the United Kingdom, and if a polygamous marriage is performed, the already-married person may be guilty of the crime of bigamy. Polygamous marriages legally performed in another country where the law allows it are not recognised for pension, immigration or citizenship purposes in the UK. It has been estimated that there are as many as 20,000 polygamous Muslim marriages in the UK. In October 2013 Tiote was lucky to avoid prison after admitting to possessing a fake driving licence, for which he was given a seven-month suspended sentence and 180 hours of unpaid community work. Judge James Goss said Tiote, 27, avoided jail only because he pleaded guilty and added: 'I have no doubt that, using your considerable talent, you will be able to assist others in the community by encouraging them and passing on your skills that way.' The Ivorian had to be called back to court after prosecutors forgot he should have been banned from driving after accumulating 12 points.
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Newcastle United's Cheick Tiote, 28, has taken a second wife in Ivory Coast .
Lives near Newcastle with first wife Madah, 25, by whom he has two children .
The midfielder also has a one-year-old child with mistress Nikki Mpofu .
His agent Jean Musampa said: 'This is nothing unusual - he is a Muslim'
Tiote, who earns £45,000 a week, 'doesn't know what the fuss is all about'
Ivorian press says first wife only found out about second wife on Facebook .
Madah reportedly had no idea he was marrying again or who the woman was .
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0a7b0b3999cc3a1604c0ce38524b662862676e79
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By . Jennifer Newton . A senior British military figure has branded the UK's 2003 invasion of Iraq 'a cock-up we will be living with for the next 50 years'. Major General Julian Thompson, who commanded Plymouth-based 3 Commando Brigade during the 1982 Falklands War, spoke out as Isis militants seized three cities in Iraq and seem to be heading towards the capital Baghdad. And Major General Thompson says he blames UK politicians for the 'complete mess' in Iraq and now fears for the future. Major General Julian Thompson, pictured, says he blames UK politicians for the 'complete mess' in Iraq and now fears for the future . Major General Julian Thompson led 3 Commando Royal Marines during the 1982 Falklands War. He is pictured with his family at Buckingham Palace . The 79-year-old said: 'Iraq was a strategic error of gargantuan proportions. I was against us going in from the very beginning in 2003. 'I didn't say so at the time with the boys going in but it was wrong. 'The effects of what we did will be felt for a very long time. 'It was not the right thing to do. This was not a military cock up, it was a political cock up. And it is a cock up we will be living with for the next 50 years. The Major General says Tony Blair, pictured with former U.S. president George W. Bush, is guilty of getting us into a position we shouldn't have got into . 'Saddam Hussein was not a nice guy but he kept the lid on extremism. ‘He held the balance of power between the Iranians and the Arab World.’ ‘People are far worse off now than they were when he was there. I don't care what Tony Blair says, these people are not better off. Blair is guilty of getting us into a position we shouldn't have got into.’ The deepening crisis in Iraq has prompted U.S President Barack Obama to say last night that he wouldn't 'rule out anything' as he searches for ways to help the ailing Iraqi army push back the terrorist horde. Major General Thompson says former Prime Minister Tony Blair, pictured with troops in Basra, Iraq in 2006, is wrong when he says people in Iraq are better off . But Major General Thompson believes it wouldn’t be wise to intervene in the country again. He added: ‘We will not go back in - at least I certainly hope not. We couldn't sort it out the first time, we'd just make it worse if we went back. ‘Rather like a disease we need to rope it off do it doesn't affect us. We have to be cold blooded. Our security must come first. ‘However sorry we may be for the people of Iraq, there is nothing we can do. We do not want to reinforce failure.’
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Major General says he blames UK politicians for the 'complete mess' in Iraq .
Believes the 2003 invasion of the country was a 'political cock-up'
Says the people of Iraq are not better off since the war in the country .
Warns against UK forces going back into the country again .
Major General led Royal Marines during the 1982 Falklands War .
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0a7b9f1cd08208dbf8a7759ed079df1e2270df0a
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(CNN) -- It arrived in Rich Stevens' mailbox a few weeks ago: the notice that Citibank had "rate-jacked" the Visa cards belonging to him and his wife. Some credit card holders have seen their interest rates go up dramatically, a practice called "rate-jacking." "In my case, from 9.5 percent to 16.99," the 54-year-old nurse from the Long Island hamlet of Merrick, New York, told CNN. And his wife's rate zoomed from 7.95 percent to 16.99 percent, he said. Stevens said he did not know why the rates had soared; his credit rating is great. But, like thousands of other credit card customers around the nation, he has been notified his rate is skyrocketing. "It almost borders on loan-sharking, from my perspective," he said. In the blogosphere, writers are livid at the instant rate hikes -- called "rate-jacking." Citigroup seems to be the target of most bloggers' venom -- partly because Citigroup issues so many credit cards and partly because Citi began sending the notices at about the same time it was getting a $20 billion, taxpayer-financed government bailout. No one at Citigroup would talk on camera to CNN about the matter. Instead, the company issued a written statement, which said: "To continue funding in this difficult credit and funding environment, Citi is repricing a group of customers." Citi told CNN that anyone unhappy with the new rates can opt out and continue paying the lower interest, but they must close their account when their card expires. It's all in the fine print. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, said she is sick of the fine print. She agreed that credit card companies get away with whatever they want, as long at they put their desires into the fine print. "They have this provision that says they can raise the rate -- any time, any reason," she said. In September, Maloney got the House to pass by an overwhelming margin of 200 votes the "credit card holders' bill of rights," which would have stopped rate-jacking and the imposition of other fees by banks. But the bill has languished in the Senate since September. "There's a lot of pushback from the financial industry," she said. Watch how card companies are trying to woo customers » . Critics say that pushback is linked to donations from the banking industry to the politicians responsible for regulating credit cards. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee is Christopher Dodd. His staff said the Connecticut Democrat has his own credit card bill containing tough language to stop things like rate-jacking and shortening of billing cycles -- two issues that anger consumers. But even Dodd's own bill has failed to gain traction -- it has sat since July. Dodd himself received more than $4 million from the financial sector during the last campaign, according to campaign records. His office did not respond to CNN's questions about that. It did say that he has tried repeatedly to protect consumers, but added, "legislation has been met with stiff opposition by the credit card industry." On Thursday, the Federal Reserve is expected to vote on its own new rules regarding credit cards, rules in the works for four years that could clamp down on rate-jacking. Whatever is passed, Maloney said, probably would not take effect until 2010.
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One man's rate went from 9.5% to 16.99%: "It almost borders on loan-sharking"
Citigroup, recipient of bailout funds, seems to be the target of most bloggers' ire .
U.S. House passes "bill of rights" for customers, but legislation stalls in Senate .
Citi says anyone unhappy with rate can opt out and close account when card expires .
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0a7bdb4dd89d415080c6b78914b2f75349a97fc6
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(CNN) -- Funk fans started each Chuck Brown concert with a chant, "Wind me up, Chuck." From there they would be treated to guitar riffs, driving percussion and other rhythm instruments that left them dancing to the beat. Brown, who died Wednesday at 75, was the "Godfather of Go-Go," a genre blending funk, jazz and soul and other musical forms. "Go-Go," 40 years after its founding, remains especially popular in its hometown of Washington, D.C. "The groove and vibe he created was unparalleled," said manager Tom Goldfogle. "All of his performances were a journey with the audience." Brown engaged in a call-and-response dialogue with fans, ensuring their interaction with each set. He last performed in early March and had been hospitalized for about four weeks. Brown died of multiple-organ failure from sepsis at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Goldfogle said. With the Soul Searchers, Brown had a big hit in the 1970s with "Bustin' Loose." The guitarist and singer was a familiar figure on stage with his brim hat and sunglasses, creating "the beat" for dancers. "Go-Go" referred to a sound continuing from one song to the next. "Chuck would describe it as nonstop percussive bass music with its roots in Latin, African and funk," said Goldfogle. "He added his blues and jazz elements." While Brown performed worldwide, his most loyal fan base was in Washington. District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray, in a tweet, paid tribute to the gravel-voiced Brown. "What a loss," his message concluded. Fans gathered Wednesday evening at the recently restored Howard Theatre in Washington to celebrate Brown's life. A local radio station played music while people danced in the street. Brown competed with disco and later had an influence on local hip-hop artists, Goldfogle told CNN. "They would do hip-hop songs with a 'Go-Go' feel," he said. In 2010, Brown received his first Grammy nomination, in collaboration with Jill Scott and Marcus Miller, for "Love." A 2007 album, "We're About the Business," included the singles "Block Party" and Chuck Baby." Brown, according to his manager, played to several generations. "His music is loved as much by the grandmother, as the mother, or the daughter," Goldfogle said. According to CNN affiliate WJLA, Brown had recently postponed numerous shows due to failing health. Funeral arrangements were pending. "His family continues to be grateful for the outpouring of love and support and requests respect for their privacy during this difficult time," Goldfogle said in a statement. Survivors include Brown's wife, Jocelyn, sons Nekos, Wiley and Bill, and daughter Takesa. CNN's Jane Caffrey and Skip Nocciolo contributed to this report.
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Manager speaks about Brown's influence .
Performer Chuck Brown dies at 75 .
He was especially popular in Washington, D.C.
"Go-Go" is a form of funk and soul .
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0a7be0f07c7a10c75f1815263e91e7046b0296c5
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A country barman who spent millions of dollars worth of cash he withdrew from ATMs via a 'loophole' in the system has been arrested. Dan Saunders, from Wangaratta in north-eastern Victoria, lived the high life for about four and a half months in February 2011, spending wildly on expensive escorts, private jets, exclusive restaurants and gambling. Last week A Current Affair aired details of the lavish lifestyle he lead, and Saunders revealed to the program the method he used to obtain the money. Scroll down for video . ATM scammer Dan Saunders was arrested in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon . The country barman spent millions of dollars worth of cash he withdrew from ATMs via a 'loophole' On Thursday he was arrested by officers in Melbourne and charged with 111 offences relating to fraud and theft, a spokeswoman for Victoria Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia. Saunders is expected to face additional charges and will front court next Wednesday. More than three years ago 29-year old-stumbled across a technical fault in the National Australia Bank's ATM system which meant he had access to free money whenever, or wherever he pleased. 'I've never felt more alive than when I was charging on my credit card,' Mr Saunders told Australia's Current Affair. 'With the NAB card I could be anyone I wanted to be, go anywhere I wanted to go, do anything as long as I had the card in my back pocket. I felt like a king.' In 2011 Saunders (pictured) went on a wild spending spree paying for private jets, hookers and gambling . He discovered the 'loophole' in his bank's ATM system one night when he went to get some money out while drinking with friends . 'I felt like a rock star, probably looked like a fat, white Kanye West, but you felt like you were Kanye West,' he said. In an exclusive interview with ACA, he divulged how it all unfolded one night out for beers with mates and how he quickly went on a wild spending spree, with money that was not his. - He would transfer money from credit to his savings account while ATM system was 'offline' -The ATM would read 'transaction cancelled' - but still dished out the money . - He took advantage of a loophole in the system which meant the ATM couldn't record transactions during late-night maintenance - but still dispensed cash . - The withdrawal would not register on his account - effectively giving him free cash . - He continued withdrawing and the bank didn't catch up . - He also tricked the ATM by transferring money from his 'credit' option to his Mastercard... even though he only had one credit card . Mr Saunders had just moved to Wangaratta in country Victoria and one evening in February, 2011 he was out drinking with friends. Like most people he needed to withdraw cash from the ATM, but when he tried, he realised he just had $3 in his savings account, so what he did was transfer $200 from his credit card. 'It said transaction cancelled but it worked,' he said. $200 richer, Mr Saunders happily went back to the pub to continue drinking with his friends. But it wasn't until later that night that the barman, who earned a mere $700 a week, decided to try his luck again. He tried to check his account balance at another ATM but it was just registering 'balance unavailable' so he again transferred $200 and it worked before he pushed his withdrawals out to $2000, the limit of his credit card and went home. Because ATM are known to go offline at certain times, where people can transfer funds but not get a balance for their account, the money he was withdrawing was not registering. Dan Saunders (pictured) went on a wild spending spree telling people he was a poker player, a surgeon or an investment banker . From the humble life as a barman in Wangaratta, in country Victoria, Dan Saunders (pictured right) reached millionaire status and lived life to max from a technical fault in his banks ATM system . He didn't stop there and within a couple of weeks, Saunders had transferred $20,000. With his new found riches, rumours started to make their way around the small town and when he began punting heavily with a mate while at work one night at the pub, his luck turned. 'Turns out that we turned over more than the TAB would turn over in three weeks in one night so that alerted the TAB to the fact that we'd done that,' he told ACA. 'I told them it was friend taking the bets but they didn't want to take that on board and they got the publican to fire me as a result.' To make matters worse, rumours made their way to his girlfriend, that he was spending money all over town and she then dumped him via text message. The barman who made a mere $700 a week couldn't believed his luck when he stumbled apon the technical fault in the banking system . Dan Saunders (pictured) conned NAB bank out of thousands, then evevtually reaching $1.6 million through an ATM flaw . But instead of wallowing in his losses, he decided to go back to Melbourne, get some advice from friends and kept his bank balance, rather healthy. 'On one hand you've lost your girlfriend, lost your job, but on the other hand, hey, you've got unlimited funds. Let's smash it up for a bit let's sort things out,' he said. While he believed it was a luxury that would be short lived, Mr Saunders kept withdrawing more and more money every day and there his lifestyle as a country barman dramatically transformed into that of a millionaire. He created many different alias' to new friends, including being a poker player, a surgeon and even an investment banker, living the dream of a high roller. He then discovered another way to trick the ATM and double his money, transferring money from the ATM's 'credit' account option to his Mastercard, even though he only had one credit card. In May that year, Saunders was believed to have already stolen $1.6 million of the banks money on his credit card. But like anyone who is cheating the system, Saunders soon started felling guilty about his adventures and began to see a psychologist. After four and a half months of solid spending Dan Saunders (pictured) said guilt got the better of him and he rang the bank, but they said police were investigating and they wouldn't talk to him . Finally after three and a half years of not being caught for his wild spendings have police issued a warrant for his arrest . It was in June, four and a half months after making his costly discovery, that he stopped making continuous transfers. He told ACA he then called the bank, who told him it was under police investigation and they wouldn't talk to him. 'It was never about the actual money it was just about the journey.' Three and a half years later and Mr Saunders had still got off scot free for his dealing with ATM's, still blazay about funding his lavish lifestyle with money that wasn't his own. 'I've overdrawn my own accounts if that makes me a crook that makes me a crook,' he said. It wasn't until just last week that police issued a warrant for his arrest and continue to look for Mr Saunders, who is now suddenly missing in action. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Dan Saunders, 29, discovered a 'loophole' in his bank's ATM system .
Former barman lived like a millionaire during wild spending spree .
On Thursday he was arrested three and a half years after the con .
He spent thousands on private jets, hookers and gambling .
In just four and a half months he managed to steal more than $1.6 million .
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0a7c15a01b8b7c5fa463386e8167d72973332daa
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After most of the world's population is wiped off the map by a wayward meteorite or hail of nuclear missiles, the survival of the human race might just depend on a few thousand people huddled in recreational vehicles deep in the bowels of an eastern Kansas mine. That's the vision of a California man who is creating what he calls the world's largest private underground survivor shelter, using a complex of limestone caves dug more than 100 years ago beneath gently rolling hills overlooking the Missouri River. 'I do believe I am on a mission and doing a spiritual thing,' said Robert Vicino, who has purchased a large portion of the former U.S. Army storage facility on the southeast edge of Atchison, about 50 miles northwest of Kansas City. 'We will certainly be part of the genesis.' Scroll down for video . Safe: Following a nuclear attack or a wayward meteorite, thousands of people could surivive by huddling deep in the bowels of this eastern Kansas mine . Vast: Robert Vicino is creating what he calls the world's largest private underground survivor shelter . Huge: The shelter uses a complex of limestone caves dug more than 100 years ago beneath gently rolling hills overlooking the Missouri River . Before it comes time to ride out Armageddon or a deadly global pandemic, though, Vicino says the Vivos Survival Shelter and Resort will be a fun place for members to take vacations and learn assorted survival skills to prepare them for whatever world-changing catastrophe awaits. Jacque Pregont, president of the Atchison Chamber of Commerce, said some people think the shelter plan sounds creepy or that Vicino has 'lost his mind,' while others are excited because they will finally get a chance to tour the property. Atchison is known as the birthplace of Amelia Earhart and one of the most haunted towns in Kansas, Pregont said, so the survival shelter is likely to add to the town's tourism draw. 'It's quirky, and quirky gets attention,' she said. Recent Hollywood movies have done big business exploring themes about the human race, either through climate shifts, meteor impacts or zombie invasions. And the National Geographic Channel show, 'Doomsday Preppers,' documents the efforts of Americans who are preparing for the end of the world with elaborate shelters and plenty of freeze-dried rations. Protected: A fence helps guard the entrance to the Vivos Shelter and Resort . Leisure time: Before being used during an Armageddon or a deadly global pandemic, however, the Vivos Survival Shelter and Resort will be a fun place for people to take vacations and learn survival skills . Paul Seyfried, who belongs to a group that promotes preparing for manmade or natural disasters, said Americans have become complacent ever since the death of John F. Kennedy, the last president who urged people to build fallout shelters. 'There has been no war on our soil in over 100 years, so the horror of war is not stamped indelibly in Americans' minds,' said Seyfried, a member of The American Civil Defense Association's advisory board. Ken Rose, a history professor at California State University-Chico, is an outspoken critic of underground shelters. Though he acknowledged that interest in underground shelters is growing, he called projects like the Kansas facility a 'colossal waste of time and money.' 'Some people are just obsessed by this idea,' Mr Rose said. '.. Without minimizing the terror threat here today, the threats were much greater at the height of the Cold War. At least then anxiety was based on a realistic scenario.' The Kansas caverns are 100 feet to 150 feet below the surface and have a constant natural temperature in the low 70s. Owner: Coby Cullins bought the complex and immediately started looking for ways to use it. One of his ideas was to lease the land to a company that builds survival bunkers . Large: Mr Cullins stands next to a scale model of the Vivos Shelter and Resort. The Army used the caverns for decades as a storage facility before putting them up for auction last year . They are supported by thick limestone . pillars six times stronger than concrete and will have blast doors . built to withstand a one-megaton nuclear explosion as close as 10 miles . away, Vicino said. Other . than being surrounded by more than a mile and a half of 6-foot-high . chain-link fence topped with sharp rows of barbed wire, the land above . ground isn't distinguishable from expanses of hills and trees that . surround it. The proposed shelter's entrances - nondescript concrete loading docks tucked discretely into the wooded hillside - are easily defensible against any potential intruders provided there's not a full-scale military attack, Vicino said. The Army used the caverns - created by limestone mining operations that started in the late 1880s - for decades as a storage facility before putting them up for auction last year. The winning bid in December was $1.7 million, but financing fell through and the site was put up for sale again. Springfield investor Coby Cullins submitted his winning $510,000 bid for the property in early April, and he immediately started looking for ways to use it. One of his ideas was to lease the land to a company that builds survival bunkers. Secure: The Kansas caverns are 100 feet to 150 feet below the surface. They will have blast doors built to withstand a one-megaton nuclear explosion as close as 10 miles away . Sprawling: Mr Cullins stands next to a map of the Vivos Shelter and Resort . Mr Vicino, whose company is based in . Del Mar, California, said he received an email from Cullins and flew to . Kansas two days later to check out the property. Vicino . agreed to purchase 75 per cent of the complex, rather than lease it, . while Cullins retained the rest and is marketing it to local businesses. The complex consists of two fully . lighted, temperature-controlled mines with concrete floors. The east . cave, which Cullins owns, encompasses about 15 acres and contains . offices, vaults, restrooms and other developed work spaces. The much larger west cave, which covers about 45 acres, is mostly undeveloped and will be converted into the Vivos facility. The shelter will have enough space for more than 1,000 RVs and up to about 5,000 people. Members will be charged $1,000 for every lineal foot of their RV to purchase their space, plus $1,500 per person for food. Underground: Investor Coby Cullins drives a golf cart in the darkness of one of the tunnels . That means a person who plans to park . a 30-foot vehicle in the shelter with four people inside will pay . $30,000 for the space and $6,000 for food. Actual . sales won't begin until a 'critical mass' of reservations are received . and processed, Vicino said, which hasn't happened yet at the Kansas . shelter. Vivos also owns a shelter in Indiana with room for 80 people to live comfortably for up to a year. There, members pay $50,000 per adult and $35,000 per child, so a family with two adults and two children would have to come up with $170,000 to be part of the post-apocalyptic generation. Purchasers will required to pay for the full balance before taking possession of their shelter space, though the company has offered limited financing in the past with a sizable down payment. Vicino says he won't say specifically where the Indiana shelter or any of his smaller facilities are located because he fears there would be anarchy in the event of a world-changing catastrophe. And it doesn't matter who comes knocking at the 'moment of truth,' Vicino said, they're probably not getting in. 'I've heard people say, "I will just show up at the door,"' he said. 'Our response is, "great, where is the door?" At our secret shelters, you don't know where to go, and your cash will be worthless at that time.'
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Caves will be 'the world's largest private underground survivor shelter'
Kansas caverns are 100-ft to 150-ft below the surface .
Supported by thick limestone pillars six times stronger than concrete .
Will have blast doors built to withstand a one-megaton nuclear explosion .
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Supermarket chain Morrisons has been forced to apologise for turning the Angel of the North into a giant advert for French stick. The store, which is desperate to claw back customers from budget competitors Lidl and Aldi, used a projector to beam a 175ft-long baguette onto the famous artwork. But the piece of bread, which had a the phrase 'I'm cheaper' beamed on to it to reflect recent price cuts, angered many people, who thought it devalued the artwork. 'Defiled': Morrisons has apologised for projected a 175ft baguette onto the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyneside . The response to the stunt - which was set up without permission - was led by sculptor Anthony Gormley, who designed the huge, steel statue, which has stood in by the A1 in Gateshead, Tyneside, since 1998. He told the Guardian: 'I'd rather the Angel is not used for such purposes, but it's out there'. Meanwhile, hundreds of social media users who had seen an image posted by Morrisons on Saturday evening, formed a chorus of disapproval. One tweeted that the supermarket had 'defiled' the angel, while others described the move as 'philistine and disgraceful'. Many threatened to boycott the supermarket as a response. Gateshead . council, which maintains the sculpture, said that it was 'disappointed' by the advert, which did not follow its usual procedures for product . placement. Original: The Angel of the North has stood next to the A1 since 1998 . Permission: Gateshead council has said it was 'disappointed' that the stunt took place . A spokesman said: 'Many goods and services have and want to be profiled alongside it, and there is a filming process in place to work with organisations to do this, although this does not include lighting the Angel in any way. 'It is disappointing this process does not appear to have been followed.' In light of the backlash from the gimmick, Morrisons apologised for the tactic, which it hoped would be 'something different'. He said: 'We’re sorry if people thought we got carried away by shining a baguette on the Angel of the North and apologise unreservedly to those to whom we have caused offence. 'We were trying something different which was meant to put a smile on people’s faces but clearly it wasn’t to everybody’s tastes. 'We’re so proud of our northern roots and the last thing we want to do is offend anybody.' When it is not being commandeered to advertise baguettes, the Angel of the North is celebrated as one of Britain's best-known pieces of public art. The sculpture, designed by Anthony Gormley, stands not far from the A1 in Gateshead, Tyneside. It was built between 1994 and 1998. At 175ft wide, its wingspan exceeds that of a Boeing 757. The steel statue weighs 208 tonnes and is 65ft high. Its structure is so stable that it only needs to be inspected once every seven years. The statue - which Gateshead council claims is the largest representation of an angel in the world - stands on top of a disused mine. Mr Gormley said that its location helped evoke the region's industrial past, commemorating the hard work and struggles of two centuries of miners, but that it was also meant to mark Britain's transition into the future.
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Supermarket chain projected 175ft baguette onto the public artwork .
Complaints rolled in that statue in Gateshead, Tyneside, had been 'defiled'
The angel's creator, Anthony Gormley, also condemned the advert .
Gateshead council also revealed the stunt was pulled without permission .
Morrisons later issued an apology, saying it had meant to amuse people .
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0a7c9a1a8f20cd3a36f3137b0ac835cf15eed5ba
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Alex Zane may be a well-known music-lover, but he is happy to avoid Ibiza's sprawling nightclubs . He may be a well-known music-lover having hosted high-profile shows on MTV, XFM and NME Radio. But Alex Zane reveals he more than happy to shun the masses of Ibiza's hard-partying tourists, booming beats and sprawling nightclubs to take a trip to the north of the island, which is littered with breath-taking beaches. The 35-year-old presenter says the Spanish island has 'two characters' explaining the tranquil villages and peaceful orange groves are just a bike-ride away and offer the opportunity to 'live like a local'. Read our Q and A with Alex to find out how he spends his time on the island. Many people are cautious of visiting Ibiza as they think it's all about clubbing and rowdy youngsters. But what else has the island got to offer? 'Ibiza is an island of two characters; the south which is devoted to the mega clubs and party-goers and the other, lesser known Northern side of the island, which is peaceful, tranquil and full of unspoilt beauty. Of course, the boundaries aren't as clear cut as this, but for every all-night DJ session there is an early morning sunrise at one of the many breath-taking little coves that litter the Island. The nightlife may have gained a reputation for the island amongst tourists, but it's this other side to Ibiza that the locals rave about. If you are one of the 50 per cent of Brits who, according to research by American Express, are after the authentic experience of 'living like a local', then the best way to explore this quieter side of the island is to hop on a bike and get off the beaten track to explore the many villages, peaceful orange groves and quaint little restaurants that tourists don't usually get to experience. I guarantee you won't hear a baseline the whole time you are there.' Alex Zane recommends escaping Ibiza's crowded clubbing areas and visiting the island's northern coast. Beaches such as Cala de Sant Vicent (pictured) can be found on the North East of Ibiza . Best restaurant? 'My favourite restaurant on the island is a little family owned place called Sabores Naturales in the centre of the small town of San Juan. It's got a quiet courtyard outside where you can just sit, relax, eat, drink and let time pass you by without a care. All the food is vegetarian and organic with fresh fruit juices and, in my opinion, the best homemade pizza on the island.' Best beach? 'Picking my favourite beach in Ibiza is a bit of a tricky one. If I did have to choose though, it would probably be Cala Xuclar. It felt like I was on a tropical beach without the long-haul flying. With great views and white sand, combined with a few fisherman's huts and a tiny kiosk serving food, it was the perfect place to escape from it all.' Great outdoors: Alex Zane loves the party side of Ibiza but also enjoys going out exploring . Best place to stay? 'If you are going in search of sunset bike rides and early morning strolls around the old towns, then I'd advise staying in any one of the boutique hotels in the north of the island, like the Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena, with its series of spa pools and waterfalls built into the cliff face. We stayed in Can Curreu and it's safe to say that that the view from the breakfast table made the early starts much better.' Your favourite thing about Ibiza and why? 'My favourite thing about Ibiza is discovering the hidden gems of the island. When you say to people you are heading on holiday to Ibiza, they immediately imagine rows of sun beds on the beaches and overcrowded bars blasting out music. Yet you only need to venture a little off the tourist trails and, even in peak season, you can find stunning, empty beaches and relaxing places to sit for a drink. Perhaps the island's reputation has meant less people visit Ibiza in search of a rejuvenating holiday. For whatever the reason, they're missing out.' The ultimate island guide: Alex produced his quick guide to what is great about Ibiza . What are your packing essentials? 'Packing light is the key if, like me, you enjoy moving around a lot. There's nothing worse than heaving a giant case jammed full of clothes to lug on and off various forms of transport. As long as you've got one smart outfit in there and the facilities to clean it you'll be fine. And if you don't have the facilities to clean it, you're probably not in a place you're going to need it in the first place.' Which destination is top of your wishlist? 'I'd like to explore more of South America. I've seen a lot of Brazil: Rio, Sao Paulo and up to Manaus and then deep into the Rain forest, but that's it. I'd really like to go further south to Argentina.' What is your earliest travel memory? 'Scotland. I remember being in Scotland so much as a kid. My mum often took myself and my brother to stay on the West Coast. We spent time on Skye, around Oban and Arisaig and then on the banks of Loch Awe. It is still one of my favourite places in the world to spend time… stunning scenery, wild weather and fascinating history.' Amex Insider Alex Zane is taking a sneak peek behind the scenes of some of Europe’s most popular destinations, uncovering hidden gems and telling you a few things you might not already know. Visit youtube.com/AmericanExpressUK to watch Alex get more insider information from other exciting destinations .
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DJ and presenter says the island is the perfect place to 'escape from it all'
'Even in peak season, you can find stunning, empty beaches'
35-year-old says Spanish island has 'two characters'
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0a7d42a1391915c112eb0eab900f7c74b5c770f1
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Traffic wardens have been fining drivers after a council mistakenly fitted a French ticket machine in a car park. Motorists were baffled as to why they were unable to put English money in to the machine at the Ian Clough car park, in Baildon, West Yorkshire, and were being issued with tickets. Bradford Council eventually slapped 'out of order' stickers across the machine, which was installed three months ago, as they struggled to work out what was wrong with it. Motorists were baffled as to why they were unable to put English money in to the machine at the Ian Clough car park, in Baildon, West Yorkshire, and were being issued with tickets . But on Friday it finally sprang into action when a motorist realised the machine was French and was configured to take Euros. Council workmen have now removed the 'out of order' notices. Two ward councillors Debbie Davies and Roger L'Amie were among those who had tried to use the machine at the car park. 'The pound coin simply would not fit in the slot,' said Ms Davies. 'There wasn't anything blocking it, it didn't go in and then fell out, the machine just couldn't take the pound.' But on Friday it finally sprang into action when a motorist realised the machine was French and was configured to take Euros. Bradford Council (pictured) has now rectified the mistake . The machine has been adjusted and now takes British coins. Councillor Davies added: 'After some 12 weeks of standing there doing nothing - the "out of order" signs have been removed and for the first time it's operational. 'Suddenly my pound coin fitted perfectly and it issued me a timed and dated ticket. It's a miracle.' Michaela Hall, assistant parking services co-ordinator for Bradford Council, said: 'The parking machines are configured for UK coins and our technician activated the new ticket machine.'
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Bradford Council mistakenly fitted a French ticket machine in a car park .
The machine unable to take English money and would only accept Euros .
Motorists - unable to pay - issued with parking fines at the car park .
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0a7d9ae6a0b6794168dabb1ae123281ae4b97878
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(CNN) -- Baku has been a citadel amidst potentially destabilizing forces for centuries, routinely blasted by gale-force winds, seismic activity and positioned near one of the world's largest and most coveted oil reserves. But, having declared independence and with the establishment of a lucrative oil pipeline, Azerbaijan now has its sights set firmly on urban renewal in its capital. This year, the astonishing Flame Towers project was completed by global architecture giant HOK, creating a building that developers hoped would become an icon for Baku's coastal skyline. Texan-born Barry Hughes, Vice President of HOK, says building an "icon" is one of the most intimidating briefs for an architect. "It's probably dangerous to try to do something iconic. The biggest challenge a designer faces is that blank sheet of paper," he says, "and if you pile on the idea that you want something iconic ..." UNESCO World Heritage: Historic buildings in peril . HOK ultimately created three flame-shaped towers, clad in orange and blue-tinted glass, encircling a honeycomb-roofed podium. This is Hughes' favorite building, although he is reluctant to take all of the credit. "I feel guilty because I get to take a bow for the work of 150 people who worked on this project," he says. The towers' shape was inspired by the city's history of Zoroastrian fire worship and its ongoing connection with natural gas. "The client absolutely latched onto the idea of the flame, and then it became an interesting conversation about how literal that would be." View a hi-res gallery of Barry Hughes' favorite buildings . Whether your tower looks like a flame, or merely evokes the concept, comes down, it seems, to how much it flickers at the roof line, and Hughes says a dedicated team worked exclusively on refining the towers' quiffs. "They had long conversations about that moment when a candle is burning, the gestural moment when it catches the wind. Somebody drew that a hundred times in the computer, and once that's drawn it gets passed through different programs, and the contractors have to further rationalize it." Watch 'Great Buildings' on Connect the World . The towers posed numerous other challenges. They had to be weighted to withstand potential earthquakes, and parts needed to be constructed without the use of cranes, due to Baku's harsh winds. The site is large, but dense, containing offices, a hotel and residential apartments above a shopping mall, above a parking lot. "Making all those spaces work in tandem was the biggest engineering challenge of all," Hughes admits. But, standing at the top of one tower shortly before the building was completed, Hughes found himself marveling at another unexpected feat. "Rare is the place in the world where you can stand in one tower ... and have two other towers that seem to form a space that I wasn't clever enough to anticipate," he says. "Maybe I was just drunk on the accomplishment but that space up there is really magical." 'Marilyn Monroe' towers shape city's future . "Somebody will have a hotel room or office where they'll look across and be part of those three objects in the sky and that, for me, is kind of spiritual." The building Hughes most wishes he'd designed is the Notre Dame du Haut, a concrete Catholic chapel in Ronchamp, France, designed by Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier. Completed in 1954, long before the advent of computer-aided design, the chapel's roof and walls curve and slope in response to the hill on which they sit. Today, many architects would find such complexity impossible to execute without the aid of computer, Hughes says. "Within the context of that period, I think it's really a piece of sculpture." He particularly admires the approach to the chapel, which winds up a hill and past some trees. "When I went there, it was one of those charmingly underdone things. That's true of a lot of Corbu's work -- you have to work to get there. That processional route is special and comes from Corbusier looking at the Parthenon." Hughes believes the inflection of humanity in Corbusier's work is what makes him relevant today. "Modernists were really fascinated with the machine, and buildings as machines for living. I find that idea compelling but at the same time, machines can be soulless, and we're now in an age where we expect our machines to have a little spirit," he said. "Corbusier was starting to do that in his later work. Mid-Corbusier was very angular, but Ronchamp is more gestural and evocative. You walk up and go 'oh, wow!' You get that lump in your throat. Which goes back to what everybody's trying to do when they start with that blank sheet of paper." CNN's special coverage sometimes carries sponsorship. CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy .
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Texas-born architect Barry Hughes picks the Flame Towers in Baku as his favorite building .
Building towers was a challenge says Hughes and had to be weighted to withstand earthquakes .
Hughes wishes he had designed Notre Dame du Haut, a concrete Catholic chapel in Ronchamp, France .
Designed by Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier, the modernist building was completed in 1954 .
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0a7de0f5ef96887137f9d5b00b07e628e1010aff
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A massive security flaw that could let hackers listen in on private calls and read text messages has been revealed. The flaw, is in a global telecom network called Signal System 7 that helps phone carriers across the world, including AT&T and Verizon, route calls and texts. The flaws, to be reported at a hacker conference in Hamburg this month, are the latest in a string of major flaws in the system. The flaws are in a system called SS7, the global network that allows the world's cellular carriers to route calls, texts and other services to each other . The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes – such as keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower. However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network. 'Experts say it's increasingly clear that SS7, first designed in the 1980s, is riddled with serious vulnerabilities that undermine the privacy of the world's billions of cellular customers,' said The Washington Post, which first uncovered flaws in the system earlier this year. The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes – such as keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower. However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network. Although the extent of the flaws has not yet been revealed, it is believed hackers can locate callers anywhere in the world, listen to calls as they happen or record hundreds of encrypted calls and texts at a time for later decryption. 'It's like you secure the front door of the house, but the back door is wide open,' Tobias Engel, one of the German researchers, told the Post. There also is potential to defraud users and cellular carriers by using SS7 functions, the researchers say. The The American Civil Liberties Union has even warned people against using their handset in light of the breaches. 'Don't use the telephone service provided by the phone company for voice,' principle technologist Christopher Soghoian told Gizmodo. Hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features networks use to connect calls for surveillance because of the lax security on the network. The voice channel they offer is not secure. 'You can use FaceTime, which is built into any iPhone, or Signal, which you can download from the app store. 'These allow you to have secure communication on an insecure channel.' He also believes that security agencies could be using the flaws. 'Many of the big intelligence agencies probably have teams that do nothing but SS7 research and exploitation. 'They've likely sat on these things and quietly exploited them.'
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Flaws set to be reported at a hacker conference in Hamburg this month .
Are in a system called SS7 that allows the world's cellular carriers to route calls, texts and other services to each other .
Claims security services could be exploiting flaws .
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0a7f6926e4e554149fcf99d81b4839d99c05c2ef
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Britons are burning themselves out by not getting enough 'me time', suggests a new study. Researchers found nearly two-thirds of adults (61 per cent) aren't getting enough 'down-time' a week - leading to stress, tiredness and even depression. For the study involving 2,000 adults, 'me time' was defined as taking time-out for yourself. Scroll down for video . Psychologist Linda Papadopoulos, pictured, said it was important to remember we are 'human beings not human doings' and it is nceessary to take time out to watch a movie or read a book to re energise . The findings from the study, commissioned by relationship website eHarmony, show that despite needing around 20 hours of mental down-time a week to feel relaxed and refreshed, less than two in five Britons (39 per cent) are meeting the requirement. Among those who said they don't have enough me time, more than a third (36 per cent) felt more tired, while others felt more stressed (33 per cent), burnt out (22 per cent), and even depressed (14 per cent). One in 25 (four per cent) even said they feel less attractive. More than one in seven people (15 per cent) say they have no me time at all, while one in nine (11 per cent) have less than five hours a week. Longer working hours is one of the biggest drains on taking time out, with 42 per cent saying their job gets in the way of their relaxation, rising to 57 per cent among those aged 45 to 54. For younger adults, browsing social media sites has a big impact, with 10 per cent citing 'FOMO' - fear of missing out - as a real issue. Other time drains include household chores (41 per cent), personal admin (21 per cent) and thinking about work (18 per cent), while even optional activities, such as group hobbies (14 per cent), can have a negative impact. 1. North East (28.17 hours) 2. Eastern England (27.75 hours) 3. South West (22.67 hours) 4. North West (20.47 hours) 5. Yorkshire and Humber (20.31 hours) 6. West Midlands (19.52 hours) 7. East Midlands (18.96 hours) 8. London (18.88 hours) 9. Scotland (18.84 hours) 10. South East (18.40 hours) 11 Wales (18.15 hours) NB: UK average (20.73) hours . Psychologist Doctor Linda Papadopoulos, who assisted with the study, said 'It's important to remember that we're human-beings, not human-doings, and finding the time to simply indulge yourself, whether that be watching a movie, reading a book or even taking a nap, is really important to distress and energise. 'Everyone is different, but typically around 20 hours of me time each week is a good amount to help feel in control of life and evaluate your goals. 'Some people may spread this out over the week, while others in highly-pressured jobs may 'binge' on down time at the weekend to catch up after a busy week.' People living in the North East get the most Me Time a week (28 hours) - 10 hours more than the Welsh who have the least (18 hours), according to the research. Those aged 25 to 34 have the least amount of time to themselves (13 hours per week), eight hours less than the national average of 21 hours. Given more me time a week, people would indulge in their favorite hobbies and interests including reading (44 per cent), listen to more music (31 per cent), watch quality TV (30 per cent), go for more walks or simply just catch up on sleep (both 29 per cent). Researchers found that workers are becoming increasingly stressed due to time shortages, file photo . Jemima Wade, of eHarmony, said: 'The findings show that taking some time out for yourself is a necessity these days, not a luxury. 'Busy lives can mean we forget to step back and give ourselves space to relax or take a minute to do the little things that make us happy. 'With that in mind, eHarmony is launching 'Love Sundays' - a project encouraging singles to do something that makes them feel good every Sunday - be it trying out a new recipe at home, curling up on the couch with a good book or just taking 10 minutes out to sit and relax, or maybe even chat to a new match.'
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TV psychologist Linda Papadopoulos warned about the need to relax .
Household chores, thinking about work and hobbies can hit 'me time'
Two-thirds of adults do not take enough time for themselves .
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By . Associated Press . and MailOnline Reporter . A man and his mother starved, beat and chained an 11-year-old boy for several hours at a time at a home in southwestern Michigan, authorities charge. Randall Hamilton, 28, and his mother, Peggy Hamilton, 46, are being held on $1 million bond after . being arraigned Wednesday on charges of torture and first-degree child . abuse in District Court in South Haven. Randall is also charged with possession of marijuana. Passerby Bobby McCaig found the boy hiding in a ditch on the side of a country road about 2 am on Tuesday, WWMT reported. He had walked some two miles from where he lived. 'I stopped and asked him what was going on, and he was walking away from me the whole time,' McCaig told the station. 'I noticed he was limping. He told me where he lived, and I said I am going to go get your mom and he started freaking out.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Arrested: Randall Hamilton and his mother, Peggy, are charged with torture and child abuse for allegedly chaining Randall's stepson with clamps and starving the boy . The boy said he was scared to go home because was beaten and rarely fed. He said his mother's boyfriend, Randall, often chained him to the ground with clamps, according to WWMT. Deputies with the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office said the boy was 'extremely malnourished' and had bruises on his torso, WOOD-TV reported. 'Deputies were able to search the residence and they found the metal clamps used to nail (the child) to the floor,' one deputy said in court, according to WOOD-TV. 'These clamps are straps approximately 1 inch wide with holes approximately an inch apart,' he added. 'They were molded around his wrists and then nailed to the floor with spikes.' Deputies also found the boy's 2-year-old brother at the house Both boys are now in the custody of child protective services. Randall had legal custody of both boys, not their mother, according to The Herald-Palladium. The suspects' family denies the accusations and claims that the boy is 'trouble' — frequently lying and stealing from neighbors, . 'They said he had marks on him, he was chained to the floor, his whole . wrist and arms his legs was bleeding — he didn't have none of that on him,' Randy Hamilton, Randall's twin brother, told WOOD-TV. 'None of that ever happened. None of it.'
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Randall Hamilton, 28, and his mother, Peggy Hamilton, 46, are charged with torture and child abuse in South Haven, Michigan .
They were arrested after Randall's 11-year-old stepson was found running from home fearing for his safety .
The boy told cops he was often chained to the floor and was barely fed .
Police said he was 'extremely malnourished' and was covered in bruises .
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By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 00:53 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:48 EST, 18 November 2013 . Police in North Carolina described the living conditions at the home where an 11-year-old boy was found handcuffed by his ankles to a post with a dead chicken around his neck as 'an environment you wouldn't want to walk through, much less live in.' As the 11-year-old and four other children aged between eight and 14-years-old were removed from the home of foster parents Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Lee Harper, Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said that the couple would also handcuff the children overnight to a three-foot piece of railroad to stop them running away. With Larson and Harper currently in jail on a bond or more than one million dollars, Cathey said the home had an overwhelming smell of urine and feces, no running water and revealed all the children slept on the floor in one room, 'As bad as you think that house was on the outside, that's probably the cleanest part of that place,' according to WCNC. Scroll Down for Video . Shocking conditions: Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Lee Harper were arrested Friday after a sheriff's deputy found the shivering 11-year-old boy . Wanda Sue Larson, a supervisor with the Union County Department of Social Services, and Dorian Lee Harper, an emergency room nurse at CMC-Union in Monroe, face charges of intentional child abuse inflicting serious injury, false imprisonment, and cruelty to animals. 'It was filthy, feces on the floor, holes in the wall,' Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said to MyFox8.com. 'The bathroom, you could see from outside of the hall into the bathroom. Sink was trashed. No running water.' The conditions at the property shocked authorities who found dozens of chickens, turkeys, geese, two llamas and a horse roaming around the ramshackle home which was littered with junk. The chicken: Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Lee Harper were arrested after a foster child was found cuffed by the ankle to her front porch with a dead chicken hanging from around his neck . Cathey said that the smell inside the home took his breath away and that the children lived among dogs and feces. All the children appeared to suffering from malnutrition and Cathey said that the first thing law enforcement did for them was to buy them pizza. Wanda Sue Larson, 57, was arrested and charged with child abuse and false imprisonment on Friday after a deputy found the boy shivering and handcuffed by his ankle to the front porch, the Union County, North Carolina sheriff's office said. Larson, a supervisor at the county's Child Protective Services office, was not home when the child was discovered but is accused of being complicit in the mistreatment, according to sheriff's officials. Authorities also arrested Dorian Lee Harper, 57, who along with Larson was serving as a foster parent to the child. The couple has four adopted children in addition to the foster child. A deputy was responding to an animal services complaint at a neighboring property when he saw the child handcuffed to the porch. Abuse: Wanda Sue Larson, who works as a supervisor for Child Protective Services, was arrested after deputies found a child handcuffed to her porch with a chicken around his neck . He approached the house and was confronted by Harper. The deputy asked for Harper's identification and an explanation as to why the child was handcuffed to the porch. According to WBTV, one of the children opened the front door, releasing several large dogs who attacked the deputy. By the time he had the dogs under control, Harper had removed the child from the porch and left the dead chicken on a barrel in front of the house. Other officers arrived and following a search of the house, a criminal investigation was opened. The children were removed from the home and are in the care of protective services outside of Union County. 'It's just shocking,' Captain Ronnie Whitaker said on Saturday. 'It's just disturbing that anyone would treat a child in such a manner.' Foster father: Dorian Harper was the parent at home when the child was found cuffed to the porch and was arrested on the spot . Disturbing: The child services worker lives at this property with four adopted children and one foster child . Both Larson and Harper were charged with intentional child abuse inflicting serious injury, false imprisonment, and cruelty to animals due to the condition of some of their pets. It is unclear what prompted the use of the dead chicken and handcuffs on the boy. Whitaker said he could not disclose details from police interviews conducted as part of the investigation. Larson and Harper remained jailed on Saturday. They each face charges of intentional child abuse that inflicted serious injury, false imprisonment and cruelty to animals, with the latter allegation based on the condition of some of the family pets, the sheriff's office said. Larson also is charged with willful failure to discharge her duty as a public official and both are due in court on Monday.
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Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Lee Harper have been charged with multiple counts of child abuse and imprisonment .
Their 11-year-old foster child was found handcuffed to their front porch with a dead chicken around his neck .
Law enforcement have said the boy was kept from running away each day by being handcuffed to a metal bar inside the filthy house .
Four other adopted children were removed from their parents care after police revealed they slept on feces covered floors .
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Three masked men broke into a woman's home, bound her hands and feet before carving anti-gay slurs into her body in a vicious hate crime, authorities said. The attackers also spray-painted 'we found you ****' on a wall at the woman's home and tried to set it on fire. Police in Lincoln, Nebraska refused to elaborate on what had been carved into the 33-year-old woman's body with a knife in the horrific attack on Saturday night. Terror: The homophobic slur was spray-painted on the wall of the woman's basement at her home after she was bound and her body cut . United against hate: Residents of Lincoln, Nebraska hold a vigil after a 33-year-old woman had homophobic slurs carved into her body by three masked attackers . The distraught woman, who is openly lesbian, managed to walk to a neighbor's house following the assault when the attackers had left. Linda Rappl, 68, said the woman was naked and bleeding. She told CNN: 'She was naked, her hands were tied with zip ties. All I could see was a cut across her forehead and blood running down.' Mrs Rappl called police and the woman was treated at hospital after she was cut on the stomach and arms. She was being housed at an emergency shelter and had asked that her identity not be released. The local community banded together in a vigil organized by a local LGBT group on Sunday night. More than 500 people attended to show their outrage at the attack and support for the victim. Mayor Chris Beutler said authorities would do everything to ensure justice is done and denounced violence directed at any group. Hate crime: The attack happened on Saturday night in Lincoln, Nebraska . Katie Flood, a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Police Department, said that 'multiple detectives' are working on the case, but the department does not want to release many details this early in the investigation. 'Doing so could compromise our ability to conduct quality suspect interviews at a later date,' she said. Nothing was reported stolen from the home. The hate crime comes in the wake of public debate over the city's fairness amendment, a proposal to ban discrimination in housing and employment based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. The city council approved the measure in May but opponents obtained enough signatures to keep it from going into effect before an as-yet unscheduled public vote. 'It was the talk of the town,' said Tyler Richard, president of Outlinc, a Lincoln gay rights support group. He said public comments to the council about the ordinance have run in favor of keeping it. Omaha, Nebraska's largest city, approved anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender residents in March. Richard, who attended Sunday's vigil, said Outlinc has 'full faith' in the Lincoln Police Department, which he said has a long history of support for the city's gay and lesbian community. 'We trust that their investigation will be fair and complete and we await the results,' Richard said in a statement. 'As we consider the possible impetus for this horrific attack we are reminded more than ever why fairness is vital in our city.'
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Victim, 33, escaped to neighbor's home in Lincoln, Nebraska .
Attackers tried to set house on fire during hate crime .
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By . Liz Thomas . Last updated at 1:38 AM on 14th January 2012 . It was hailed as the next big thing in cinema but it seems Britain’s 3D boom may be over before it really even began. Film fans fed up with inflated prices and disillusioned by the lack of added value from watching many movies in the format, opted to stick with traditional 2D showings instead. Little over a fifth of box office sales were for 3D films in 2011, compared to 27.5 per cent in 2010, according to new figures from global industry analysts Rentrak EDI. Film fans are shunning 3D screenings and returning to the traditional format . It had been expected the 3D trend would soar after the success of James Cameron’ s epic Avatar, which made £615 million worldwide, with 90 per cent of the audience watching in HD, and the huge popularity of Toy Story 3. But after an initial burst of interest it appears British cinema-goers don’t feel it represents value for money for every film. The major cinema groups charge customers of 3D films up to 41 per cent more than those seeing standard films and many charge an additional £1 for the special glasses. This means families of four face paying nearly £11 more to watch a film in 3D. ‘It is too early to say but it seems that people are being more discerning and making decisions on individual films, rather than simply watching everything in 3D,’ a spokesman for the BFI said. Avatar was a huge hits in the 3D format in the UK in 2010, grossing 67million . Avatar and Toy Story 3 were huge hits in the format in the UK in 2010, grossing 67million and 73.8 million respectively. By contrast the only standout 3D hit last year was the final film in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, which was the final film in the franchise and grossed 73 million. The rest of the 3D top five for 2011, which included Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, grossed under £30 million. The research also showed that cinema firms, including Odeon and Cineworld, charge up to £1 per person on top of the ticket price to pay for 3D glasses. A recent YouGov poll found that almost half of Britons thought the format was 'over-hyped and just a phase.' Another reason for the slump in interest, is that 2011 saw a rise in the popularity of character-led films in Britain such as The Kings Speech, which made £45.7 million, and Bridesmaids, which made £23 million, and these do not need the special technology. Daily Mail film critic Chris Tookey said that consumers have also wised up to the fact that sum of the '3D films' are simply a rip off. He has said: ‘Hollywood has jumped on the 3D bandwagon and is driving it hell-for-leather. Another 3D hit, Toy Story 3 made 73.8m in box office sales . ‘The irony is that many of the 3D movies that cinema-goers are paying over the odds for aren’t really in 3D at all.’ He pointed to Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never Again, which actually on featured just 30 minutes of his concert in that format. An additional problem is that some people feel unwell when watching in this format. Around 10 per cent of the UK population has poor binocular vision, which means it is difficult for them to see 3D effects in movies and video games. Instead, they see a blurry image, and will suffer headaches, eye strain and even nausea as a result. Experts do not recommend allowing children under eight to regularly use 3D glasses because their eye muscles are still developing. Hugo, pictured is Martin Scorsese's first film shot in 3D . There are also question marks over whether 3D television will really take off, with some industry figures insisting that until a 'glasses-free, affordable' option is available it is unlikey to. Some electronics manufacturers have issued disclaimers to protect themselves from legal claims warning that viewing 3D TV may cause ‘motion sickness’, ‘disorientation’ and ‘eye strain’. Last year, Sir David Attenborough warned 3D television would not take off in Britain. The veteran, whose documentary for Sky - Flying Monsters - was made in the format, insisted it would not become the norm for viewers because it was ‘too isolating’. Instead Sir David said consumers would opt to watch ‘big events’ in 3D such as World Cup football matches, the forthcoming Royal Wedding, or ground-breaking new nature or history shows.
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Major cinema groups charge 3D film customers up to 41 per cent more than those seeing standard films .
Research shows large cinema .
firms charge up to £1 per person on top .
of the ticket price to pay for 3D glasses .
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0a82959ee0fb4d8613ac098d76cd14529ffa2934
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(CNN) -- Two fifth-grade boys armed with a stolen semi-automatic gun, ammunition clip and knife plotted to kill a classmate in Washington state but were thwarted when another student informed a school employee, authorities said Thursday. The two boys, who told police they considered the girl rude and annoying, won't be tried as adults and will be in court next Wednesday for a capacity hearing, said Tim Rasmussen, the Stevens County prosecuting attorney. The two boys, ages 10 and 11, told authorities that they were also going to kill, or "get," six more students at Fort Colville Elementary School in Colville, Washington, and even identified them from a class list provided by school employees, according to court documents. The boys' plan called for the older to stab the girl off-campus with a 3.25-inch knife last week, and the younger boy would scare off any responders with a .45-caliber Remington 1911 semi-automatic handgun, court documents said. The younger boy had been in "a short dating relationship" with the girl, but he told authorities that "she's rude and always made fun of me and my friends," court papers said. "Yes, I just want her dead," the younger boy told authorities. He brought the gun and knife to school, documents said. The older boy had been friends with the girl for several months, but he wanted to kill her because she picked on and annoyed him, court papers said. "Yes, and I wanted to kill her alone at first," the older boy told a police officer. The officer noticed in his interview with the older boy that he "did not display any emotion or remorse during the interview," court papers said. The younger boy took the gun from his older brother by finding a hidden key to the gun case kept in the brother's bedroom, and the older brother told authorities that he stole the firearm from their dead grandfather's home, court papers said. The older brother is also a juvenile, Rasmussen said. The two boys told another student two weeks earlier about the plot to kill the girl and were going to pay him $80 to keep it secret, the court filings said. The two boys were going to kill the other six students by luring them away from school one at a time, court papers said. When authorities were transporting the arrested boys to the Stevens County Courthouse, the juvenile probation department staff told a detective that they overheard the older boy telling the younger: "If I find out who told them about our weapons, I'm going to kill them. I don't care; when I get out of jail I'm going to come back and kill them," according to court papers. Under Washington state law, children between the ages of 8 and 12 are presumed to not have a capacity to commit a crime, prosecutor Rasmussen told CNN. "What this hearing will determine is they will look at certain factors and try to get these children under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court," Rasmussen said about next week's proceedings.
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Two boys plot to kill a girl outside their Washington state school unravels .
The boys also intended to kill six more students one by one, authorities say .
One boy was going to stab the girl; the other was to use a gun to guard him .
One boy stole the gun from his older brother, who in turn stole it from dead grandfather's home .
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0a83c82ca6874b60f1c4d4d89bce849ee61074b4
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By . Ryan Gorman . and Ashley Collman . and Paul Thompson . A third student has come forward to accuse a 29-year-old Florida teacher already facing nearly two dozen charges for sex with teens in her school. Jennifer Fichter now faces 34 separate criminal charges for having sexual relationships with at least three students in separate schools where she taught English. The third student was between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old when his relationship with Fichter turned physical, sources told WKMG. More charges: English teacher Jennifer Fichter is facing more than 30 counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor after a third student came forward alleging he had a relationship with her. Pictured above in court last month . Fichter and the student are believed by authorities to have had sexual contact from August 2012 to December 2012, the station reported. Detectives had been interviewing the Polk County teen at the time the disgraced teacher was arrested for the previous cases. The second student, now 20, was also 17 in September 2011 when Fichter started inviting him over to her apartment where they would cuddle on the couch and watch TV. He says the relationship turned sexual the next month and they went on to have intercourse about 20 times for seven months - sometimes in the boy's bedroom while his mother was away, according to the arrest report. Allegations: The third student says he had a relationship with Fichter in 2012, when he was just 16 years old . Fichter was initially arrested in April . after the mother of one of Central Florida Aerospace Academy's juniors . found intimate text messages from the teacher on her son's phone. Fichter was charged then with six counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and was charged with 20 more counts on Wednesday after the second student's revelations. Neither teen has been identified. The new charges come just one day after the Polk County School Board voted unanimously to fire Fichter after an investigation into the affair she had with the current student. According to The Tampa Tribune, police said the abuse with the current student began in November 2011 when the pair had sex in the early morning hours in Fichter's Toyota pickup truck. The teen told detectives he and Fichter met for sex three times in the parking lot of a Lakeland apartment complex and three times near New Tampa Highway. He also said they had sex four times outside the city in Polk and Hillsborough. Lakeland police said those counties are investigating those incidents. The illegal meetings were discovered by the teen's suspicious mother on January 27. When she noticed her son was not home at 5am and lied about his whereabouts, she looked through his cell phone and found texts from two names. One discussed an 'age difference'. Police said the mom confronted her son, who admitted both names were used by Fichter. Scene: The first two students to come forward with accusations attended Central Florida Aerospace Academy, where Fichter taught English. The school fired her last month . The mother reported Fichter to police, however it is not clear why she waited so long. The mother also agreed to speak to the teacher and record the conversation for investigators. During . the call, Fichter allegedly admitted she became pregnant with the . teen's child and had an abortion. The woman also said she was in love with . the student and wanted to continue seeing him. 'The victim's mother discovered this relationship after reviewing text messages from her son and she asked that Fichter respond to her residence to talk,' a Lakeland police statement said, according to Orlando Sentinel. 'According to the victim's mother, Fichter admitted to the sexual encounters and professed her love for him,' authorities said. Fichter was arrested at her Davenport home soon after the conversation, and booked at the Polk County Jail. And the two students at the space academy aren't the only boys Fichter is accused of abusing. Fichter resigned from her job at Robinswood Middle School in Orange County in 2008 after it was reported she had feelings for an eighth-grade student. Fichter is now in jail after being accused of having sex with at least one minor as many as 30 times in the backseat of her truck . A 40-page report on the English teacher revealed that she told another teacher she had feelings for the boy, and hinted to another student that she wanted to have sex with him. She reportedly said ‘he makes me melt into a puddle with those eyes.’ Her co-worker told investigators that she told her she even dreamed about the boy one night. When asked what it was about, she said, ‘Oh my goodness, it was a goooood dream!’ The report said Fichter and her colleague joked that the remark could get her jailed if ever revealed. An investigation was launched into her feelings for the 14 year old boy. No charges were ever filed in relation to that incident. Video: Teacher arrested for sex with student left job six years ago for similar reasons .
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High School English teacher Jennifer Fichter, 29, faces nearly three dozen criminal charges for having sex with underage students .
She was originally arrested in April after a student's mother found illicit text messages on her son's cell phone .
A second student some came forward with accusations after seeing a news report about the disgraced educator .
Fichter resigned from her job as a middle-school teacher in Orange, County in 2008 after admitting to having feelings for an eighth-grader .
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0a8415242903d4a500c97a660431886cf451240c
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(CNN) -- In a world where information is plentiful and abundant, traders are always trying to make money by finding that hidden advantage. Many are betting that 140 characters is all it takes to beat the market. Some professionals in the world of high finance are relying on Twitter and other social media to try to get the edge on the competition. Markets went into a spin last year when someone hacked the AP's Twitter account and sent bogus tweets about an explosion at the White House, showing just how powerful a sentence can be when millions of dollars are put behind it. Twitter has transformed communication across a host of industries, but many industries remain straightforward in how they use it. Especially in the world of commodities. In Chicago, traders trade futures contracts in every kind of product, from corn to pork belly to orange juice concentrate futures. Essentially, they are making bets on the demand and supply of these items at a later date. Every extra speck of information can make the difference. Some traders expressly follow farmers across the American Midwest and try to get a sense of how much soybean or maize is coming in this year's crop. Others actively engage with the people that make the products they trade, looking for that edge, directly tweeting farmers for information on what weather they are having and what crops they are growing. But others are using Twitter to in more innovative ways to stay ahead of the pack. "Our systems can analyze and determine a Tweet in less than a second from the moment a person tweets," says Paul Hawtin, the founder of the investment management firm Cayman Atlantic. "Analyzing untapped and unstructured data sets such as Twitter gives us a distinct advantage over other investment managers." Hawtin has been working on a fund based exclusively on using sentiment analysis of Twitter for years, analyzing tweets for relevance and for positive and negative sentiment to base its trades on. His first fund was in July 2010, when the U.S. debt stand-off caused huge turmoil in the financial markets and forced the $25 million fund to close after just a month. Hawtin is launching his second try at such a fund later this year. "We're in the process of raising £5 million ($8.3 million) for the new fund and we've secured £1.5 million so far," he says. If his first fund had taken off, Cayman Atlantic's simulated real-time account showed that it would have returned 23.8% last year -- impressive, but not as good as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which returned 26.5% over the same period. For Hawtin, the benefits of going Twitter-only are obvious. "Breaking news, information trends and global events hit the Twitter network before anywhere else," he says. Twitter appears to be a special case. They have tried to feed in data from Facebook and Bit.ly, the URL shortener, but to no avail. "When people tweet they tend to be talking about real-world events as opposed to Facebook which is more personal and relevant only to friends and family." Others are trying to turn the world of trading into the new Twitter. Yoni Assia founded eToro in 2007 as a social network for investing and sees it as democratizing the space. "It's about opening the global market and investing and trading in a transparent way," he says. "When you're using Facebook or Twitter, it's about social signals. So not all your friends are ones whose financial investments you really want to copy." His network allows anyone to trade both virtual and real money, connect with one other and compare investment bets -- and copy the trading strategies of others. EToro, which is not yet available in the U.S. because of regulatory hurdles, has 3.5 million registered users, of which most are using virtual money. About 300,000 are trading with their own cash on the site. It's Facebook-meets-fantasy football for wannabe day traders. Assia thinks we're at the start of a change in how we invest, one that will transform trading decisions to ones not just based off reactions to real-world events or mathematical modelling, but one based on the analysis of social media as well. "I think in the future you'll have not just fundamental and technical analysis, but social analysis," he says. Hawtin, the founder of the Cayman Islands-based hedge fund, concurs. "We're in the middle of a data explosion," he says. "Trend-following has been a successful trading strategy for over a century and that forms the core of our investment process. What makes us different from any other trend-following hedge fund is the data we use." With billions to be made, Twitter and social media may end up being one of the democratizing forces in the world of finance. Read this: How to start your own currency .
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Commodities traders use Twitter to get inside info from farmers .
One fund based all its trades on sentiment analysis of tweets .
EToro is a social network for investing, letting users copy the trading strategies of others .
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By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 20 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:45 EST, 21 August 2012 . Tensions between Japan and China escalated further today after thousands of Chinese protesters took to the streets and overturned Japanese cars. The demonstrations were the latest in an ongoing feud between the two countries over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea. Chinese protesters denounced Japan's claims to the islands - which are known as the Diaoyu in China and as the Senkaku in Japan. Scroll down for video . Rising tensions: Protesters in Hangzhou, China, hold placards and banners at a demonstration against Japan's claim of the disputed islands . Tokyo responded by urging China to protect Japanese citizens. The demonstrations came after 10 Japanese nationalists swam to the islands on Sunday in a tit-for-tat move following a similar landing by Chinese activists last week. Both China’s government and Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda are under domestic pressure to take a tough stance over the islands. But economic ties between the two countries are deeper than ever, and both are thought to be keen to prevent the feud spiralling out of control. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said that they were anxious to contain the situation. Feud: Demonstrators carrying Chinese national flags attend an anti-Japan protest in Shenzhen, southern China . 'We would like to continue to deepen mutually beneficial relations between Japan and China, keeping a broader perspective in mind,' he said. 'Regarding the protests in China, we are asking, above all, to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals (in China).' The anti-Japanese protests in part reflect bitter Chinese memories of Japan’s occupation of large parts of China in the 1930s and 1940s. Chinese mainstream media were critical of Japan, but some also suggested that violent protest was not the way to proceed. Protests: Pro-China activists in Hong Kong have also taken part in demonstrations, waving Chinese flags and chanting slogans such as 'Down with Japanese militarism' 'Japan has made a series of mistakes . in the Diaoyu Island issue, and has hurt the Chinese people’s feelings,' said the China Youth Daily. 'The . young people’s patriotism is laudable ... but for a selected number of . those who are smashing their fellows’ vehicles, damaging public . property-that shows foolishness. 'This severely disrupts social order, injures the cities’ image, and furthermore, affected China’s image.' Japan, eager to keep the feud from escalating, deported the Chinese activists within days but the fate of the Japanese protesters remains undecided. Land grab: The protests in China came after Japanese activists swam to the islands and raised their national flag on the disputed territory . Disputed: A Japanese activist waves the country's flag after landing on a group of islands known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese . Territory: An aerial view of Uotsuri Island, one of the disputed islands in the East China Sea .
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Demonstrations are the latest in dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea .
Islands are known as the Diaoyu in China and as the Senkaku in Japan .
Tokyo urges Chinese government to protect Japanese citizens .
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By . Ryan Gorman . Gunned down in his own rectory: Father Gilbert Dasna was shot dead in his church, police believe he may have have been killed by a gunman they shot dead minutes later . A small Canadian town was terrorized Friday by a crazed gunman who is believed to have shot dead a priest inside a church before going on a rampage before he was gunned down by police. John Quadros, 55, of St Paul, Alberta, was killed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police after he is said by police to have likely killed Father Gilbert Dasna and then going on a high speed chase through the center of town that culminated in a crash derby-like shootout, sources said. Dasna, 32, was shot more than once on the third anniversary of his arrival from Cameroon while inside his rectory, police told the CBC, they do not believe the murder was a random act of violence. The mayhem began just before 6.00 p.m. as the town of about 5,400 just over 120 miles east of Edmonton was rocked by the sound of gunfire. Officers heard shots just outside their station and ran out in pursuit of a black pickup truck being driven by Quadros. Quadros is said by police to have sped straight for the small town’s central business district and rammed at least one squad car while firing shots at police as he went. The force of the impact was so great that car parts were scattered across at least half a block. ‘I've seen movie scenes not as horrific as this. There's bits of pieces of vehicle all over the street a half a block away,’ Chief Supt. Randy McInnes told the CBC. End of the line: John Quadros is seen slumped over in his smashed up truck after being shot dead by an RCMP officer . Three Mounties were injured in the fracas and one was forced to fire back in retaliation – the shot killed Quadros while he was still behind the wheel of his vehicle. The dramatic scene unfolded in broad daylight as locals made their way to restaurants for dinner and home from work. The smashed up wreckage of multiple vehicles sat in the middle of the town’s busiest street after people scattered to avoid the bullets flying through the air. ‘I was shaken by it to the point where I couldn't properly text a message to my commanding officer to let them know what was going on,’ McInnes added. A woman who witnessed the chase said Quadros was driving recklessly through a busy area and even on the wrong side of the road at times. Destroyed: The bashed up remains of an RCMP vehicle Quadros is said to have rammed and opened fire on shortly before he was killed . ‘The way he was driving I thought he might kill somebody,’ she told the Edmonton Journal. ‘He was just flying.’ The female officer who killed Quadros suffered serious leg injuries, said McInnes. A male officer was shot in the hand and another was hit in the face with glass shards, he added. The female officer remains hospitalized, the two men were treated and released. Investigators could not confirm if the priest’s murder was related to the downtown shootout, but refused to rule out the two incidents being more than a coincidence. They happened only blocks from each other. Horrific: A local police officials said the traumatic scene resembled a Hollywood movie . Quadros owned a health store that ‘advocated healthy living through herbs and natural products given to us by GOD,’ according to the Journal. Church officials lamented Dasna’s violent death. ‘It's very disturbing. People don't know what happened,’ said diocese spokesperson Pierre Lamoureux. ‘He was well-loved. He was a man of joy, a man of peace.’ A parishioner told the Journal that Dasna was ‘a nice man [and] you couldn’t ask for a better man.‘Why would anybody kill a priest? I just can’t believe that,’ she added. Mayor Glenn Anderson was in disbelief over the afternoon’s events. ‘A town of our size… doesn't ever expect this to happen,’ he told the CBC. ‘It's never happened in St. Paul.’ ‘I'm just really shaken up by the whole incident.’An investigation into both crime scenes remains ongoing.
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Father Gilbert Dasna was shot multiple times in the rectory of his church .
Suspected gunman John Quadros then fled the scene before engaging Royal Canadian Mounted Police .
He took them on a wild chase through the center of St Paul, Alberta .
Quadros rammed at least one squad car and injured multiple Mounties before an officer gunned him down in self defense .
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Senator Al Franken has sent a letter to Apple’s chief executive highlighting ‘substantial’ security concerns about fingerprint recognition technology on its iPhone 5S. The iPhone 5S, which went on sale today, includes a fingerprint sensor that lets users touch the phone's home button with their finger to unlock it, rather than enter a passcode. Apple claims its scanner, known as Touch ID, is ‘one of the best passwords in the world.’ But Senator Franken said that while a password can be kept a secret and changed if it's hacked, fingerprints are permanent and left on everything a person touches. Scroll down for video... Senator Al Franken (left) has sent a letter to Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook, (right) highlighting what he believes to be 'substantial' security concerns about fingerprint recognition technology on the iPhone 5S . In a letter to Apple chief executive, Tim Cook, the Minnesota Democrat asked for more clarity on security questions. ‘If someone hacks your password, you can change it – as many times as you want,’ said Senator Franken, in his letter. ‘You can’t change your fingerprints. You have only ten of them. And you leave them on everything you touch; they are definitely not a secret.’ Apple claims this kind of technology boosts security for users. It added that the fingerprint data is stored on the phone in a place that's inaccessible to other apps and to Apple's remote servers. Apple said the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is designed to provide 'accurate readings from any angle, so the motion to unlock your device ought to be as automatic as it is now' Touch ID uses a small touch sensor encased around the home button that scans the layers of skin on a finger. Users can 'train' their iPhone to . read and learn their unique fingerprint and when they touch the home . button, the phone is unlocked. Touch ID can also be replace an App Store password when buying music, apps or books. It uses a 'laser cut sapphire . crystal' to take a high-resolution image scan before the Touch ID software in iOS 7 . detemines whether the print belongs to the owner or not. All fingerprint information is . encrypted and stored securely inside the device's chip. The prints are not stored on an Apple server, or backed up to iCloud. Senator Franken said that, unlike a string of numbers, a fingerprint uniquely identifies its owner. ‘Let me put it this way,’ he said. ‘If hackers get a hold of your thumbprint, they could use it to identify and impersonate you for the rest of your life.’ Apple is yet to issue an official response to Senator Franken, but it has published a support document on its website outlining the security features of Touch ID. ‘Touch ID does not store any images of your fingerprint. It stores only a mathematical representation of your fingerprint,’ it said. ‘It isn’t possible for your actual fingerprint image to be reverse-engineered from this mathematical representation.’ ‘Your fingerprint data is never accessed by iOS or other apps, never stored on Apple servers, and never backed up to iCloud or anywhere else,’ it added. Apple recently announced plans to open a mineral plant that uses sapphire-based materials. Apple already uses sapphire crystal in the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on its iPhone 5S, pictured, and to protect the cameras on its latest models. Rumours now claim Apple could use the plant to make strong sapphire glass screens . Apple's Phil Schiller, pictured, explained the scanner was secure because prints are saved to the chip, and not online. Yet security researchers are concerned that prints can be stolen from anywhere . Even before the new iPhone 5S was released, a group of hackers pooled their funds to offer a bounty of over £10,000, bottles of booze and other prizes, for the first person that can crack the iPhone 5S’s Touch ID fingerprint sensors. IsTouchIDhackedyet.com, the creation of security researcher Nick DePetrillo, said it is hoping to help Apple identify bugs that it may have missed. Security engineer Charlie Miller said it could take fewer than two weeks for a smart hacker to get around the new lock. Among those getting ready for the hacking contest is David Kennedy, a former U.S. Marine Corps cyber-intelligence analyst who did two tours in Iraq and now runs his own consulting firm, TrustedSec LLC. Kennedy said he needs to examine the new iPhone to figure out how to best attempt an attack. He said his choices include hacking the software that analyses the fingerprint data, or physically opening up the phone and connecting it to a custom-built device that would impersonate Apple's fingerprint reader. He added that it might be possible to lift a user's fingerprint from elsewhere on the device and somehow make a clone of it. The Touch ID sensor is built into the premium phone's 'home' button and can be used to unlock the phone, as well as pay for shopping and apps automatically - effectively replacing the need for a password or PIN. Speaking at the launch event in Cupertino, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller said: 'Half of smartphone customers do not set up passwords. [Touch ID] is an easier and more fun alternative. 'It uses key you have with you everywhere you go. Your finger.' It works by using a small touch sensor encased around the home button that scans the layers of skin on a finger. A user can 'train' their iPhone to read and learn their unique fingerprint and when they touch the home button, the phone is unlocked. Touch ID can also replace an App Store password when buying music, apps or books. It uses a 'laser cut sapphire crystal' to take a high-res image scan and the Touch ID software in iOS 7 determines whether the print belongs to the owner or not. Apple said it is designed to provide 'accurate readings from any angle, so the motion to unlock your device ought to be as automatic as it is now.' Schiller reassured users that Touch ID is secure by explaining that 'all fingerprint information is encrypted and stored securely inside the device's chip' adding the prints are not stored on an Apple server, or backed up to iCloud.
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Touch ID feature allows you to use your fingerprint to unlock the iPhone 5S .
Apple maintains that Touch ID is 'one of the best passwords in the world'
But the Democrat is concerned about hackers getting hold of fingerprints .
'They could use it to impersonate you for the rest of your life,' he said .
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By . Lydia Warren . and Daily Mail Reporters . Bowe Bergdahl has thanked President Obama for saving his life - as his newly-appointed military justice lawyer insists the former POW is 'proud' to be back in uniform. The 28-year-old soldier hired Eugene Fidell to represent him and speak on his behalf six weeks after the Taliban handed him back to the U.S. in exchange for five Guantanamo Bay detainees. 'Sergeant Bergdahl is deeply grateful to . President Obama for saving his life,' Fidell, a Yale Law School professor who is working pro bono, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. Fidell also appeared on the Today show on Thursday to defend his client, insisting that he was proud to be serving the U.S., despite earlier correspondence that showed him slating his nation. Scroll down for video . Speaking out: Eugene Fidell, who is representing former POW Bowe Bergdahl, said on the Today show that his client is proud to be back in uniform after being held captive by the Taliban for five years . Representation: Speaking to Matt Lauer, left, Fidell said he thinks his client had become a 'punching bag' for people who hated the thought of anyone getting released from Guantanamo Bay . 'I believe he is [proud],' Fidell said. 'He's back to duty.' Bergdahl has been assigned an office . job at U.S. Army North at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, having completed a . reintegration and therapy process at the medical facility there. But when Today host Matt Lauer pushed Fidell on whether his client was going to stay in the Army, Fidell he: 'I think he's ready for the next chapter.' He did not provide further details. Fidell met personally with Bergdahl last . week at the base. Bergdahl also has an Army lawyer . representing him and the two lawyers will work together, Fidell said. 'I think it's important that people, . particularly people who have been vilified, have proper representation, . and every lawyer has a responsibility to represent even unpopular . clients and that's why I'm involved in this,' Fidell told ABC News. Back in uniform: Bergdahl, pictured before his capture, has been assigned an office job in San Antonio . He added on the Today show that he believed Bergdahl's case could have become a 'punching bag' for people who have 'consternation' for people being released from Guantanamo Bay. Bergdahl was released back to the U.S. in May and swapped with five Guantanamo Bay detainees. He is now back living in regular Army housing with fellow soldiers. Fidell . refused to say whether he had been in contact with Bergdahl's parents, Bob and Jani, . whom the former POW has declined to speak to since his return, according . to defense officials. Fidell . said Major General Kenneth Dahl, who is heading the investigation into . the circumstances surrounding Bergdahl's disappearance from his outpost . in Afghanistan, had not yet interviewed his client. He said he didn't expect Dahl to have any substantive interviews with Bergdahl for a couple of weeks. Bergdahl has not been charged with any crimes. Questions: This photo of Bergdahl smiling with Taliban Commander Badruddin Haqqani was posted on Twitter and raised more questions about if he had been mistreated during his captivity . In a . statement, the Army said that the soldier 'has completed the final phase . of the reintegration process under the control of U.S. Army South and . is currently being assigned to U.S. Army North, Joint Base San . Antonio-Fort Sam Houston (JBSA).' 'He . will now return to regular duty within the command where he can . contribute to the mission. The Army investigation into the facts and . circumstances surrounding the disappearance and capture of Bergdahl is . still ongoing.' Fox reported that Bergdahl may also receive . $350,000 from the US government without paying taxes: $200,000 would be . for wages earned during his captivity and $150,000 if he in fact was a POW. When he was swapped for five Guantanamo Bay detainees on May 31, Obama said the switch had been prompted by Bergdahl's poor health. But his . former comrades have insisted he abandoned his post - putting others in . danger - and last week, on a Twitter account associated with the . Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, a user said Bergdahl had been treated . with kindness by his captors.
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Yale Law School professor Eugene Fidell starting working on the former Taliban POW's case on a pro bono basis a week ago .
Bergdahl, who returned to active duty this week, also has an Army lawyer representing him but asked Fidell to assist .
'I think it's important that people, particularly people who have been vilified, have proper representation, and every lawyer has a responsibility to represent even unpopular clients,' Fidell said .
Fidell expects substantive interviews will not be conducted with Bergdahl about the circumstances of his capture for at least two weeks .
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(CNN) -- Tonight, as my husband stands in our bedroom, fingers whirling across his smartphone and eyes glued to its tiny screen, I have no idea "where" he is. Is he checking the score of his beloved home team, or dealing with a rant from an indefatigable boss overseas? Is he working or home-ing, or both? This melding of work and home, of course, is an old story. In 1999, I wrote an article about three generations of a Baltimore family and their work-life balance. Shattering my romantic views on what it was like to live a few easy steps from work -- literally over the store -- the family's elderly patriarch told me that his parents couldn't wait to move to the suburbs and put some distance between family and work. Their hardware business had shadowed their evenings and weekends, stealing peace. Decades later, the patriarch's restless, cell phone-toting, entrepreneurial son blamed the portability of work for his recent divorce. How smartphones make us superhuman . In the digital age, we blend home and work, not because we are tied to a store or farm or job, but because the fetters of time and space seem shattered. We can physically circuit the globe in hours, and our thoughts can move across the planet in seconds. Time seems putty in our hands. Our lives are increasingly shorn of context. My early days in the mobile revolution . Does it matter much whether it's night or day, spring or fall, home or the office? We are empowered, yet disturbed by this free-for-all. Two recent reports underscore the tensions within these shifts. While more companies are allowing employees to work when and where they want to, they increasingly are limiting people's ability to take a leave or work part-time, the Families and Work Institute found in its 2012 National Study of Employers. Flex-time is up, but career breaks have fallen steeply. More than half of executives get business information at all hours, according to a survey released earlier this year by Forbes Insights and an advertising firm. As many executives reported feeling enabled as irritated by an "@Work State of Mind." Nearly a third of those executives who feel "in control" of their always-on lives also describe themselves as resigned to the situation. Is overwork the trouble? Yes and no. In a blended world, work does tend to win out over other parts of life. Studies over the past decade show that people who work at home or outside the office tend to work longer hours, contrary to employers' initial fears. According to a recent survey, 54% of American smartphone owners check their phones in bed -- sometimes in the middle of the night. And at a Chicago marketers' networking luncheon where I recently spoke on a panel, a majority of the crowd of 150 reported, in a show of hands, that they sleep with a smartphone within reach. Even if work is our passion, as it is mine, we're pitching ourselves headlong and unthinkingly into a world without boundaries -- a world without rest. But overwork is perhaps the least of the challenges when we blend work and home. The blending itself changes how we work, as well as how long we work. In frantically integrating work and home, we stray perilously close to diluting both. This is a matter of attention, intention, and depth. In courting the always-on livelihood, we're turning our backs on rich moments of full focus and absorption, in favor of darting restlessly back and forth between two or more complex streams of life. The integrity of a moment is lost when we unthinkingly blend different parts of our life. I'm writing this on a Sunday. My teen is sleeping in and my husband is away. The silence of the morning provides a perfect context for writing. But when my groggy teen wakes up, I'll put aside my work, and we'll share toast and tea and a plan of the day. Because if I tried to skate through breakfast with one eye on my daughter and one eye on the clock or smartphone, a fleeting moment of togetherness would be diluted. The silken threads of mutual presence would be thinned to the point of fraying. As much as we try to believe otherwise, it matters where we are. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maggie Jackson.
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Maggie Jackson: We blend home and work because we all use smartphones .
Jackson: We are empowered, yet disturbed by this free-for-all .
She says that in a mobile world, work tends to win out over other parts of life .
Jackson: As much as we try to believe otherwise, it matters what we do, where we are .
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Exeter Chiefs went to the top of the Aviva Premiership for at least 24 hours after a richly deserved 31-15 victory that left Wasps still in pursuit of a first win at Sandy Park. Two tries for England wing Jack Nowell plus one from number eight Tom Waldrom, and 10 points from the boot of fly-half Gareth Steenson, steered Exeter Chiefs to a 25-8 half-time lead, and two more Steenson penalties after the break sealed the success. Wasps initially matched their hosts with a penalty from fly-half Andy Goode, but against a strong Chiefs defence the visitors could manage just the one try before the break through former England Under-20 full-back Rob Miller. Exeter Chiefs fly half kicked four penalties and two conversions to help his side to a 31-15 victory . Despite five scrum penalties five metres from the Chiefs line, they were not awarded a penalty try after the break. A Tom Lindsay try which was converted by Alex Lozowski proved insufficient to give Wasps a foothold. The Chiefs made two changes from the side that beat league leaders Northampton Saints 24-18 at Franklin's Gardens last weekend with Dave Ewers at blindside flanker and Ian Whitten at inside centre. There were three changes to the Wasps side as Sam Jones came in at openside flanker, after international duty, and Wales lock Bradley Davies and Italian prop Lorenzo Cittadini returned. Exeter winger Jack Nowell (left) scored two tries in an impressive display at Sandy Park . Full-back Phil Dollman, who this week agreed a new two-year deal with the Chiefs, was making his 100th league appearance for the team which was matched by Wasps' England-capped scrum-half Joe Simpson. Exeter made the perfect start when scrum-half Will Chudley perfectly timed his offload for Nowell to score out wide, with fly-half Steenson's conversion squeezing just inside the far upright. Wasps were quickly back up the other end where they won a penalty in front of the posts which England international Andy Goode slotted between the uprights, however Steenson soon countered that for Exeter. Chiefs centre Henry Slade (left) can only watch as Wasps full back Rob Miller crashes over for Wasps . A quick tap penalty allowed the visitors to spread the ball wide with an overlap available as full-back Miller came into the line to touch down. Goode was unable to convert but Steenson then found the target with a penalty. Wasps tested the Chiefs defence, which stood firm, and the home side reacted with Nowell scoring a second try as he shrugged off a couple of defenders to cross the line. The visitors then lost wing Christian Wade with an ankle injury to be replaced by Tom Varndell. A Chiefs catch and drive led to Tom Varndell getting the try which Steenson converted to ensure the 17-point gap between the sides at the interval. Exeter's Matt Jess bursts past Elliot Daly as the Chiefs chased a bonus point in the second half . Wasps started the second half the stronger and caused the Chiefs problems at the scrum close to the line where they were awarded three penalties, but on the fourth occasion tighthead prop Varndell was sent to the sin bin. The next two scrums saw both front rows stood up before reinforcements were sent in to continue the battle five metres from the Chiefs line, only for Wasps to be awarded another penalty. Referee Ian Tempest seemed unwilling to award the visitors a penalty try but instead Chiefs gained the next scrum penalty and were able to clear their line as they remained down to 14 men. Wasps were left scratching their heads wondering as to why they gained nothing for the efforts which would have got them back in the game. When the Chiefs finally got out of their own territory, Steenson landed his third penalty. Wasps replacements Varndell and Lozowski saw a break from deep in their own half and replacement hooker Lindsay crossed from short range. Lozowski converted but Steenson slotted another penalty. The home side went in search of a try-scoring bonus point and Wasps had to play the final two minutes with centre Elliot Daly in the sin bin.
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England winger Jack Nowell scored a brace for the home side .
Number eight Tom Waldrom also powered over for the Chiefs .
Gareth Steenson registered 16 points with the boot .
Waps lost Christian Wade to an ankle injury .
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Yahoo's decision to curtail remote working among its employees has stirred dismay in the technology industry at a time when many companies are innovating new solutions to enable telecommuting. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, one of the planet's biggest showcases of new digital technology, numerous manufacturers are touting gadgets and software specifically aimed at keeping workers out of the office and either on the road or at home. Yet among those exhibiting at the annual event, there was mixed reaction as some digital innovators aired reservations about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's latest attempt to revive the search engine's flagging fortunes while others backed a more balanced approach. Tell us: What smartphone feature would you like to see in the future? Mayer's strategy was revealed after a leaked memo set a June deadline for remote workers to either relocate within physical commuting reach of a Yahoo office or leave the company. Yahoo has declined to comment but the memo, obtained by tech blog All Things D, said the move was necessary as "to become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side." The announcement comes as many governments worldwide are urging employers to consider telecommuting as way of alleviating overburdened and environmentally detrimental transport systems and also striking better work/life balances. Advances in technology, particularly the spread of broadband internet connections and 3G and 4G mobile phone networks has made this possible. At the Mobile World Congress event, many exhibitors stake their futures on an increase in telecommuting. Greg Sullivan, Senior Product Manager for Windows Phone, said remote working provided a tremendous opportunity for workers to get more out of their lives while reducing their impact on the planet's ecosystem. "We have to be vigilant in making sure that technology doesn't let work overtake us. But one of things that's been enabled by this, is the ability to have it all," he told CNN, illustrating his point with an anecdote about being called by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "I was at my daughter's soccer game not long ago and I was waiting for a very important e-mail from a very important person at Microsoft -- named Steve -- and I didn't have to stay home and wait for it. "I could go to my daughter's soccer game and see on my phone that the e-mail came in. So it was a win-win situation and that's what technology can do for us. "Balmer was probably fine with that - he probably didn't even know that I was at my daughter's soccer game." One MWC exhibitor GENBAND, a U.S.-based company that provides technology which can be used to create remote working environments, said Yahoo's move was understandable, but the problems it faces could be overcome with better technology. "There is some validity to the arguments motivating Yahoo's move away from supporting remote workers," said GENBAND Chief Executive Charlie Vogt. "Worker productivity is in some ways a measure of meaningful human interaction and face-to-face communications." But, he said, communication systems, including video conferencing and internet collaboration, that allow employees to realistically simulate face-to-face interaction, are already on the market. "With little effort most remote employees can take advantage of intelligent communications tools to elegantly blend the benefits of being part of a vibrant office environment and having the flexibility that comes from working outside the office on a permanent or part-time basis." Cisco, another MWC exhibitor whose products are directly aimed at creating remote working environments, insisted its technology was capable of recreating every aspect of real-life interaction short of physical contact. Marc Musgrove, Cisco's global communications director, said Yahoo's announcement was unfortunately timed as it came just days ahead of the March 4 start of the third annual Telework Week, a Cisco-backed global initiative to encourage remote working. Musgrove said Cisco's video-link products allowed employees to talk lag-free in high definition, but he said there was a need to strike a balance between "appropriate" home working and office-based interaction in genuinely collaborative work spaces such as Cisco's main campus in San Jose, California. "When people come into the office you don't want people just sitting there heads down knocking out their emails, because they can do that from a café or a home office or remote office." Foursquare Co-Founder Dennis Crowley also emphasized the need for balance: "It is great to offer employees the flexibility that If they need to be off for a day or so, or for an afternoon, that's totally fine. "We try to get as many people together in the office as possible because that's where stuff gets done. People hang out in the lunch room, and they hang out in the hallways and in different meeting rooms. You are more productive when people are all together, but I think you need to have a little bit of flexibility. "We use things like Google+ Hangouts to do a lot of video conferencing at Foursquare, so we're able to make it work. "It's a mixture of both, but not too much out of the office," he added. David Marcus, President of PayPal, said: "This is not a black and white answer. Generally if teams are together they're definitely more efficient and more productive. But that being said, you also need to cater to moms who need to go and pick up their kids from school. And so you need to find the right balance."
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Exhibitors at annual Mobile World Congress say Yahoo's ban on remote working ignores need for balance .
Greg Sullivan of Windows Phone says telecommuting improves home life and benefits environment .
Cisco's Marc Musgrove says modern technology can now recreate face-to-face encounters .
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(CNN) -- Fernando Alonso has urged Ferrari to improve ahead of the 2013 Formula One season, labeling the Italian team's performance in last year's championship unbefitting of the sport's most successful constructor. Last season two-time world champion Alonso finished just three points behind eventual title winner Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, but the Spaniard insists Ferrari must do more if the team is to challenge for the drivers' title. "At the end of the year we were quite far from Red Bull and McLaren," the 31-year-old Spaniard told Formula One's official website after his first run out in the team's new F138 car at a preseason testing event in Barcelona. "We've been in a group with Force India, behind Lotus and Sauber. We cannot belong to this group -- we know that. We need to be in the group of the leaders and for this we need to do a good job this winter." Last season Alonso earned many plaudits for taking a Ferrari car -- widely considered to be uncompetitive -- to the brink of a first drivers' title for the team since Kimi Raikkonen's in 2007. Red Bull dominance . The Spanish driver draws encouragement from last year's exploits and he is confident of once again rivaling triple world champion Vettel -- if Ferrari can improve on their slow start to 2012. "At the first four races we had finishes of ninth in China and seventh in Bahrain, so even with all those problems with the car we were fighting for the world championship," continued Alonso. "If we overcome our bad start of 2012 -- and think positive -- there is no reason for us not to fight for the championship again this year if we only improve the car a bit." The 2013 season gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix on March 17 and Alonso has urged Ferrari to arrive at the Melbourne race ready to challenge the dominance of Red Bull, who have now won the drivers' and constructors' titles for three consecutive years. "We need to improve from where we were last year because obviously it was not enough -- we finished second and we want to finish first," added the former McLaren driver. "So our immediate goal to improve in the first half of the year shouldn't be that difficult. We are relatively confident."
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Fernando Alonso says Ferrari must do better in 2013 Formula One season .
Alonso lost out to 2012 drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel by three points .
The Spaniard drove the new Ferrari F138 for the first time in Jerez on Tuesday .
The 2013 F1 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 17 .
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(CNN) -- European soccer body UEFA has issued a statement after an 11-year-old boy managed to invade the pitch and pose as a member of Chelsea Football Club's entourage following this week's Europa League Final. He follows a (dis)honorable line of other gatecrashers who between them have blagged their way past security at the White House, the Olympics, the Oscars and even royal parties. At the 1974 Academy Awards, streaker Robert Opel raced across the stage, prompting presenter and movie star David Niven to quip: "Isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is for stripping off and showing his shortcomings." Watch YouTube footage of the incident . Read more: TIME's top 10 odd protests . Meanwhile, Jarvis Cocker, lead singer of British band Pulp, caused a furor at the 1996 Brit Awards in London when he invaded the stage during Michael Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" in protest "at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing." Cocker was arrested but later released without charge. Watch YouTube footage of the incident . In 2003, self-described "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak gatecrashed Prince Harry's 21st birthday party at royal residence Windsor Castle, near London, wearing a pink ball gown and fake Osama bin Laden turban and beard. He said he kissed Prince William on both cheeks before being removed: a police report later said the incident had highlighted serious flaws in security. Read more: Royal gatecrasher -- police blamed . Six years later, in November 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama hosted his first state dinner. Two of the people mingling with those gathered for the dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were not on the official guest list: Reality television stars Tareq and Michaele Salahi made their way into the White House despite not having a physical invitation. Their lawyer Stephen Best told a 2010 congressional hearing into the incident: "They thought they were invited... if it was a misunderstanding, it was a misunderstanding caused by representatives of the government." The couple invoked the fifth amendment in response to most of the lawmakers' questions. As a footnote, Michaele Salahi was later also kicked out of the television show "Celebrity Rehab" for not actually having an addiction. Read more: Alleged dinner crashers invoke Fifth Amendment . Read more: White house party-crasher booted from 'Celebrity rehab' Amid the cardinals who flew in for the papal conclave at the Vatican earlier this year, one cut an incongruous figure. His cassock was too short, his sash was purple rather than red and he sported a jaunty fedora amongst the skullcaps. "Basilius" was in fact Ralph Napierski, a German self-declared bishop with the non-existent "Italian Orthodox Church." The pope's Swiss Guards -- themselves known for stand-out apparel -- escorted Napierski away before he could join a top-secret meeting. Read more: Fake bishop busted and booted from the Vatican . The Indian Olympic team's moment of glory at the 2012 London Games' Opening Ceremony was shared by a mystery woman in a red shirt and blue trousers who waved to the crowd as the delegation marched round the stadium. The woman was later revealed as Madhura Nagendra, who said she was a member of the Opening Ceremony cast. Nagendra later said she regretted her "error of judgement," telling the Times of India "I have a lot of spirit and courage, I didn't want to hide from the media." In 2001, British media named Briton Karl Power as the man who had appeared as an extra player in an on-pitch photo of football team Manchester United. The next year, the Guardian newspaper described Power as "possibly Britain's greatest interloper," saying he had also walked out to bat for England, played Wimbledon's Centre Court and taken to the winners' podium at the British Formula 1 Grand Prix. Dinners, conclaves, sports pitches... what about lives? A number of people have taken on long-term fake identities and in turn seen their stories portrayed on the big screen. Alan Conway -- who impersonated the secretive filmmaker Stanley Kubrick -- gained access to London's exclusive clubs and a number of celebrities' ears. The drama "Color Me Kubrick" tells Conway's tale. Read Guardian article 'The Counterfeit Kubrick' Similarly, American David Hampton posed as the son of actor Sidney Poitier to gain access to the homes of New York's elite or to get money. His story was made into a film, "Six Degrees of Separation." Read more: New York Times obituary .
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A boy, 11, posed as a member of the Chelsea entourage at the Europa League Final this week .
He was the latest in a long line of people to gatecrash events from the Olympics to Oscars .
Sports events, royal parties, state dinners and the papal conclave have all been targeted .
Some serial hoaxers have been the inspiration for films such as "Six Degrees of Separation"
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Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department on Friday ramped up its warnings urging Americans not to join other activists in a flotilla, expected to sail soon, aimed at challenging Israel's maritime blockage of the Gaza strip. According to organizers, the flotilla is meant to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a similar flotilla that resulted in a clash in international waters with Israeli navy commandos that left nine people -- including an American citizen -- dead. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters Friday that she didn't think the plan "is useful or productive or helpful to the people of Gaza." "We have certainly encouraged that American citizens not participate in the flotilla," she said, "and we are urging that all precautions be taken to avoid any kind of confrontation." Clinton's comments followed an even harsher statement by State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, in which she criticized what she called "irresponsible and provocative actions that risk the safety of their passengers." Last May, the Mavi Marmara -- owned by the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, or IHH -- and five other ships were on their way to Gaza, carrying humanitarian aid and about 700 activists from various countries, when Israeli soldiers swarmed aboard it. Despite international condemnation, an independent Israeli commission, led by retired judge Yaakov Turkel, later found that Israeli commandos "acted professionally and in a measured manner in the face of unanticipated violence" when they seized the Gaza-bound aid ship. In September, the U.N. Human Rights Council found Israeli forces "committed serious violations of international law" in the raid and suggested that six of the civilian deaths were "consistent with ... an arbitrary and summary execution." Israel called the report "as biased and as one-sided as the body that has produced it." The U.S. State Department earlier this week issued a travel warning advisting U.S. citizens "against traveling to Gaza by any means, including via sea." "Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death, arrest, and deportation of U.S. citizens," the State Department statement said. "U.S. citizens participating in any effort to reach Gaza by sea should understand that they may face arrest, prosecution, and deportation by the government of Israel." Ali Abunimah, a blogger for the Electronic Intifada and supporter of the protest, accused Clinton of seeming to "lay the ground -- indeed almost provide a green light -- for an Israeli military attack on the upcoming Gaza Freedom Flotilla." Activists say the blockade is illegal and has worked to undermine Gaza's already fledgling economy. Israel has promised to block any attempt to break a blockade that they say is important in keeping weapons from being delivered to Gaza. The protesters said they raised funds to purchase a U.S.-flagged vessel, which they named "The Audacity of Hope," a reference to the best-selling book of the same title by President Barack Obama. The boat, they claim, will carry 36 passengers, four crew members, and ten journalists. The protesters say they want to "challenge U.S. foreign policy" by providing aid and supplies directly to the citizens of Gaza, in spite of Israel's blockade. "We encourage all Americans to support our voyage, and to agitate with the US government and public opinion to ensure our safe passage to Gaza," wrote Robert Naiman, policy director at the advocacy group Just Foreign Policy, who said he'll be part of the flotilla. The State Department counters that, if the activists want to help the citizens of Gaza, there is a better -- and legal -- way to do it. Victoria Nuland, the department's spokeswoman, told reporters, "We've got to use the channels that are safe, the channels that are going to guarantee that the aid get where it needs to go to the people it's intended for." Clinton added Thursday that it would be unwise to move toward Israeli waters and create "a situation in which the Israelis have the right to defend themselves." But these words did not impress Abunimah, who wrote that "in light of Clinton's statements, if any blood is spilled it will not only be on Israeli, but also American hands."
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50 people plan to sail to Gaza to protest Israel's blockage of the Palestinian area .
Last year, 9 were killed after Israeli forces confronted a similar flotilla .
Sec. of State Clinton calls the plan not "useful," urges Americans not to take part .
An activist say the U.S. is giving Israel the "green light" to attack the flotilla .
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Swedish men are being warned against any inclination for nude swimming after a new species of fish has been discovered in their waters which enjoys biting testicles. A 21cm pacu fish, a relative of the piranha, was found by fisherman in the Oresund Sound off the south coast of the country last week. Known in Papua New Guinea as 'The Ball . Cutter', the pacu has reportedly been responsible for the deaths of two . fishermen in the Pacific nation, who died from blood loss after the fish . had bitten off their testicles. Nutcracker: The Pacu fish, a relative of the piranha, has been known to attack male genitalia . A freshwater fish, it can grow up to 90cm long and weigh up to 25kg. Mainly found in the rivers of the Amazonian basin, they have flatter teeth which are very similar to humans and perfect for crunching. Their . diet is mainly nuts, leaves, aquatic vegetation and snails - but on . occasion they have been known to enjoy the taste of human flesh. 'Keep your swimwear on if you're bathing in the Sound these days - maybe there are more out there!' the Natural History Museum of Denmark has warned. 'The pacu is not normally dangerous to people but it has quite a serious bite, there have been incidents in other countries, such as Papua New Guinea where some men have had their testicles bitten off,' said Henrik Carl, a fish expert at the Danish museum told Sweden's The Local. In 2004, The Scotsman newspaper reported . that an 18-month-old toddler required surgery after a pacu bit her . finger at Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World. Danger: Swedish men are being warned against enjoying their beautiful waters in the nude in case a Pacu fish attacks . Mr Carl admitted he cannot be sure if there are any more pacu in Swedish waters. 'They are almost identical to the . piranha, you couldn't even tell from the outside. It's just that they . have different teeth. Flatter and stronger, perfect for crushing,' he . added. So far, there have been no reports of . any pacu attacks in European waters, but after this first sighting, Mr . Carl said bathers should be cautious. 'It could become a problem some time . in the future if it's not the only one. This one was the first, but who . knows, it's probably not the last.,' he told the newspaper.
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Pacu fish found in the Oresund Sound off Sweden's south coast .
Relative of piranha reportedly enjoys biting male genitalia .
Has flatter teeth, similar to humans, which are perfect for crunching .
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0a8badaeac6e14cea6f65f674e902422d5e84bbf
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By . Sam Greenhill . PUBLISHED: . 17:22 EST, 4 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:48 EST, 5 September 2013 . Mr Wonderful: Hasnat Khan, the surgeon who stole Princess Diana's heart almost two decades ago pictured leaving his East London home yesterday . Walking out of his pebbledash house with his jacket over one arm, this man cuts a perfectly unremarkable figure. In fact, he is Hasnat Khan, the surgeon who stole Princess Diana’s heart almost two decades ago – and could have been her second husband. Nicknamed ‘Mr Wonderful’ by Diana, he was photographed yesterday ahead of the premiere tonight of a film which chronicles their two-year affair. Friends say Diana wanted to marry dashing heart surgeon Mr Khan. But their relationship ended in 1997, only a few weeks before her death. Now 54, Mr Khan lives in East London and is based at Basildon University Hospital in Essex. He was dressed casually as he left the house yesterday, in jeans and trainers, but was carrying a suit jacket. It was a mundane scene far removed from the dashing young heart surgeon of the film - and what might have been. Mr Khan has vowed he will never see the film, which he said was ‘completely wrong’ and based on ‘cruel lies’. After seeing a poster for the movie, called Diana, he said: ‘I could tell immediately those were never our mannerisms at all. 'You could just tell from that picture that it is all just presumed about how we would behave with each other, and they have got it completely wrong. ‘There wasn’t any hierarchy in our relationship. She wasn’t a princess and I wasn’t a doctor. ‘We were friends, and normal people stand like friends with each other.’ The film makers tried repeatedly to win Dr Khan’s cooperation and support for the movie, but he said: ‘I haven’t spoken to anyone involved in that movie. I have never given my approval for it.’ Then and now: Hasnat Khan pictured in 1996 during his affair with Diana, left, and yesterday in East London, right . Painful memories: Friends say that Diana wanted to marry the surgeon, but their relationship ended just weeks before she died in August 1997 . He said he could not imagine what the . film was based on, given that he had never told anyone, not even close . friends, details of his closeness to Diana. Mr Khan, who is single after an arranged marriage ended in divorce, made the comments in the Mail on Sunday. He added: ‘There are a hundred could-have-beens. ‘She [Diana] could be living very happily and married and having more kids, with me or with someone else. ‘It could have led in that direction. I try not to think about these things. I can’t change anything now.’ Screen version: Naomi Watts as Diana and Naveen Andrews as Hasnat Khan in the new film chronicling the pair's romance . Chronicle: Naomi Watts as Princess Diana in the new film . The film, which stars Naomi Watts as . Diana and Naveen Andrews as Mr Khan, is based on Kate Snell’s 2001 book . Diana: Her Last Love. It . suggests that Diana was seeing Dodi Fayed, who died with her in a car . crash in Paris in September 1997, to make Mr Khan jealous. The Princess is shown deploying celebrity photographer Jason Fraser and using Dodi as a pawn to make the heart surgeon jealous. Actress Naomi Watts said she had studied Diana carefully in preparation for her screen role. She said: ‘He (Dr Khan) was someone she trusted right away. She was fascinated by his mind. He was clever and traditional. ‘She . knew he was never going to exploit her. She did end up finding a . connection with this one man. And I think that, despite the tragedy, . that’s an uplifting story.’
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Mr Khan was pictured leaving his East London home yesterday morning .
Friends say that Diana wanted to marry the man she called Mr Wonderful .
But the pair's relationship ended just weeks before the Princess died .
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(CNN) -- Chris Brown pleaded guilty to simple assault Tuesday to settle a case stemming from a sidewalk fight at a Washington hotel last October. "I'm sorry, I am very sorry," Brown told the judge in the brief hearing in a District of Columbia court. The judge sentenced Brown, 25, to time served -- the one day he was locked up after his arrest -- and no probation for the simple assault conviction. He must also pay a $150 fine. The singer has already paid a heavy price for the incident -- it resulted in the revocation of his probation for the 2009 beating of ex-girlfriend Rihanna in Los Angeles. He spent five months in court-ordered rehab and another three months in jail because of it. His jail time also included two grueling cross-country trips on the federal government's "Con Air" inmate transport system. A doctor's letter included in a probation report said that Brown was diagnosed as bipolar, which is blamed for violent outbursts. Doctor: Chris Brown makes 'strides' to sobriety, 'personal growth' "Mr. Brown has made significant strides in maintaining his sobriety, as well as developing skills that promote personal growth," a psychiatrist wrote in the most recent report in August. Read Brown's probation report (PDF) He is taking his twice-a-week court-ordered psychological therapy sessions seriously, the doctor said. "He continues to show great perseverance in implementing recommendations made by his treatment team, utilizing his learned skills and seeking guidance in his recovery process," his doctor reported. Brown's probation officer said he has been "working on personal growth" and has been "taking responsibility for his behaviors" in the two months since he was freed from jail. His probation for the 2009 felony battery conviction is expected to end on January 23, 2015, as long as he stays out of legal trouble and completes another 600 hours of community labor, the probation officer said last month. The singer will spend three days each week until then working on a community labor crew. Brown was a teenager when his remarkable dancing and singing talents made him a pop star. He was 19 when he smashed Rihanna's face with his fist during an argument inside a rented Lamborghini on the evening of the 2009 Grammy Awards. With his legal troubles and probation requirements apparently nearing an end, Brown should have more time to concentrate on his career. He has a new album set to release this month, and he has teased fans with a Twitter post that suggested he would soon start a concert tour. Rihanna gives painful details of Chris Brown assault . CNN's Lindy Royce contributed to this report.
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Chris Brown entered his guilty plea in a D.C. court Tuesday .
The plea deal includes no jail time or probation for Brown .
The singer has already paid a heavy price for the incident .
Brown's probation for beating singer Rihanna is set to end in January .
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Tottenham cruised to victory in their Europa League Group C clash thanks to Harry Kane's hat-trick and a double from Erik Lamela. Sportsmail's Gerard Brand picks out the key points at White Hart Lane. Europa League winners will reach the Champions League, but Mauricio Pochettino still mixes it up. He's made on average 8.4 changes for each European tie; last season they made 6.4. Harry Kane marked his return to the Spurs side with a hat-trick at White Hart Lane . The Argentine boss has made 42 changes in their five European games so far this term, but he hasn't necessarily picked weaker teams. On Thursday night he brought in Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies, Emmanuel Adebayor, Andros Townsend, Harry Kane and Mousa Dembele after the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City, six players with 197 international caps between them. Andros Townsend was restored to the starting XI following Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Manchester City . Asteras are the Swansea City of Greece. Why? Rising through their national system at the same blistering pace, they won the fourth division in 2005, the same year Swans were promoted to League One. Spurs marked the 10th anniversary of Bill Nicholson's passing with a commemorative programme celebrating the legendary manager's life. A memento for fans of that era, and the kids who gained entry for a fiver (£1.50 more than the programme.) Bill Nicholson had a 36-year association with Tottenham as a player and then manager . Despite the reduced prices (£25 adults, £5 juniors), there were plenty of empty seats at White Hart Lane. Strange considering each Europa League game is arguably more important to Spurs than their top flight encounters. There were plenty of empty seats for Tottenham's Europa League Group C clash . Turkish fans made some noise in north London recently, and despite the small Greek support, Asteras fans were typically boisterous, congregating to give their heroes an ovation 55 minutes before kick-off. Asteras fans gave their players a good reception before kick-off . 'Right now, the league table isn't crucial to us,' said Pochettino in his programme notes. Well, Mauricio, points make prizes, and Spurs haven't had this bad a start since Juande Ramos was sacked in 2008. Mauricio Pochettino insists he's not concerned by Tottenham's poor start to the season . Bizarrely, Asteras had seven Argentinians in Thursday night's squad, all in that perfect age of 24 to 29. Wealthy owners Dimitrios Bakos and Ioannis Kaimenakis believe the key is South Americans at their peak, and who could blame them? Forward Pablo Mazza was among seven Argentinians in Asteras's matchday squad .
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Harry Kane marks his return to the side with well-taken treble .
Striker ended the game in goal after Hugo Lloris was sent-off .
Erik Lamela scored a screamer during White Hart Lane rout .
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A driver who whizzed across 26 miles of New York City in 24 minutes was convicted on Thursday of reckless endangerment for a stunt trumpeted in dashboard-camera video posted online. Now he's fled the country and is staying in Canada. Adam Tang wasn't in court to hear the verdict, and it wasn't clear at first where he was instead: The Canadian citizen was deemed a fugitive after failing to show up for court on Wednesday. Prosecutors portrayed Tang, 31, as a dangerous daredevil who put lives at risk by circling Manhattan in a BMW Z4 convertible at an average of 69 mph, sometimes hitting nearly 100 mph, and flaunted it in a YouTube video that has drawn more than 875,000 views. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Convicted and in Canada: Convicted driver Adam Tang aka Afroduck who lapped Manhattan in 24 MINUTES has fled to country and is living in Canada . Need for speed: Adam Tang, seen here at his 2013 arrest, is allegedly Afroduck--the YouTube user who recorded and uploaded his reckless and record-breaking 24-minute race around the island of Manhattan . 'The city's roadways are not a racetrack,' District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said in a statement. But defense lawyer Gregory Gomez suggested that while Tang might have pushed the envelope on traffic regulations, he didn't commit a crime, reports NBC. Gomez said Thursday he respected the verdict and would focus now on getting Tang to court, arguing for 'an appropriate sentence' and determining whether to appeal. Tang faces up to a year in jail for his misdemeanor conviction. His sentencing is set for Dec. 8. Tang — known to the YouTube world as 'AfroDuck' — was arrested in September 2013, after the video appeared and police traced him through his computer's Internet address. 'I am a car fanatic,' Tang told officers when they arrived, according to a prosecution court filing. The stock trader said he'd wanted to break unofficial speed records for looping Manhattan, but he insisted he didn't do it recklessly, the document said. 'I put a lot of esteem into driving and being a conscious and aware driver,' he said. The nighttime footage captured a car zooming along highways and streets that ring Manhattan, weaving around other cars as brake lights flash at its approach, but also stopping for six red lights. In March, Tang rejected a plea offer that would have entailed two months in jail. His lawyer said then that Tang, married to an American woman, wanted to avoid any criminal record because of possible immigration complications. Tang was arrested again in April, after police said they found him driving in the Bronx although his license had been suspended because of his earlier arrest. He pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving, a traffic infraction, and paid a fine, Gomez said then. The ride: Prosecutors portrayed Tang, 31, as a dangerous daredevil who put lives at risk by circling Manhattan in a BMW Z4 convertible at an average of 69 mph . Self proclaimed: Tang flaunted his speeding in a YouTube video that has drawn more than 875,000 views .
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Prosecutors portrayed Tang, 31, as a dangerous daredevil who put lives at risk by circling Manhattan in a BMW Z4 convertible at an average of 69 mph .
Adam Tang wasn't in court to hear his verdict on Saturday because he had fled to Canada .
Tang, known to the YouTube world as 'AfroDuck' was arrested in September 2013, after the video appeared .
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0a8f30cdcf13b1d00d4670d16ec0c40e2ca1de1c
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Steve Bruce insists Hull City must accept they will be one of the teams involved in this season’s relegation scrap. The Tigers enjoyed their first win in 11 at Bruce’s former club Sunderland on Boxing Day to climb out of the drop zone. They now have the chance to put nine points between themselves and bottom club Leicester City, who visit the KC Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Steve Bruce believes Sunday's clash with Leicester City is 'bigger than the cup final' last season . Yannick Sagbo (left) congratulates Nikica Jelavic on his late goal in Hull's 3-1 win at Sunderland . Hull have the opportunity to put nine points between themselves and bottom club Leicester with a win . Hull (4-4-2): McGregor; Elmohamaday, Bruce, Davies, Rosenior; Brady, Livermore, Meyler, Quinn; Ramirez; Aluko . And Bruce said: ‘It’s a bigger game for me than the cup final. Yes, I know that’s quite a statement, but that’s what it means to me. ‘If we turn them over to go nine points clear of them at the halfway stage, it’ s a big turnaround to be caught. ‘As we’ve seen, it’s been difficult enough to win one or two games, let alone turn around a three-game swing.’ He added: ‘We’ve only been in the division a total of four years in our history so we’re going to be in and around it at the bottom. We always expected to be. Bruce celebrates with son Alex after Nikica Jelavic makes sure of Hull's Boxing Day win at Sunderland . Gaston Ramirez jumps for joy after scoring Hull's equalising goal at the Stadium of Light . James Chester (left) celebrates with Ahmed Elmohamedy after scoring against Sunderland . James Chester is suspended, as is midfielder Tom Huddlestone, but Jake Livermore returns from his ban. Steve Bruce must decide whether to recall Nikica Jelavic - who scored in the win at Sunderland - or keep faith with Sone Aluko. ‘The league is starting to take shape at halfway. The teams you think are going to be at the top are there – with one or two surprises like there always is. ‘And I could have called the bottom eight – and we have to accept we are going to be one of them.’ Gaston Ramirez scored his first for the club during the 3-1 win at Sunderland, and Bruce believes only now are they starting to see the best of the Uruguayan playmaker. ‘We got him on loan from Southampton after he went there for £12million and it does take them time,’ he said. 'At Sunderland, he looked a really good player because he’s been given time to adjust to the food, the culture, the cold and the language barrier. We have to let him adjust and find his way.’
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Hull City claimed first win in 11 against Sunderland on Boxing Day .
They now welcome relegation rivals Leicester City to the KC Stadium .
Manager Steve Bruce believes game is 'bigger than cup final' last season .
Tiger have chance to put nine points between themselves and Foxes .
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0a931b42b00d60fb5e751642731249b10b34b1a8
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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . The Archbishop's remarks will fuel criticism of welfare reforms . Families have been left ‘broken and weeping’ by hunger and debt despite the country’s economic recovery, the Archbishop of Canterbury will say in his Easter Sunday sermon today. In outspoken remarks that will refuel attacks on the Government’s welfare policies, Archbishop Justin Welby will say many struggling families are ‘too ashamed’ to seek help from food banks, which critics claim are increasingly filling a gap created by benefit cuts. His sermon in Canterbury Cathedral follows a letter from 600 religious leaders, including more than 40 Anglican bishops, urging David Cameron to tackle a ‘national crisis’ of rising hunger as the latest figures suggest more than a million Britons have used food banks in the past year. Although the letter was not signed by Archbishop Welby, his remarks will be seen as endorsing its concerns. Preaching about Mary Magdalene’s tears after discovering Christ’s empty tomb, the Archbishop also refers to the suffering of communities. He will say: ‘With Mary there are so many that weep. ‘In Syria, mothers cry for their children and husbands. In the Ukraine, neighbours cry because the future is precarious and dangerous. In Rwanda, tears are still shed each day as the horror of genocide is remembered. In this country, even as the economy improves, there is weeping in broken families, in people ashamed to seek help from food banks, or frightened by debt. Asylum seekers weep with loneliness and missing far-away families. Mary continues to weep across the world.’ But the Archbishop will go on to say Christ’s resurrection brings hope and joy, which can ‘exist alongside mental illness, depression, bereavement and fear’ and that ‘joy in the huge life of Jesus is present in the food banks, the credit unions, the practical down-to-earth living that the churches are demonstrating across this country’.
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Comments will fuel criticism of Government's welfare reforms .
He will say food banks and credit unions embody Christian values .
His speech comes shortly after letter to David Cameron from religious leaders declaring rising hunger levels a 'national crisis'
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0a9371b466754719948abc5118a9ce6638d9bacd
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 14:53 EST, 29 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:17 EST, 30 March 2012 . A six-year-old girl was given bread and jam instead of a hot school dinner for two days because her mum was just £4 in arrears. Hazel Lebby, 37, says she was shocked to discover her daughter Hannah had twice been denied a lunch and has now threatened to take her child out of the school. St Thomas’s School in Mitcham, Wimbledon, said it needed to take drastic action after parents racked up £1,730 in unpaid dinner meals last year. Furious: Hazel Lebby, 37, was shocked to discover her daughter Hannah, 6, was given bread and jam instead of a hot school dinner for two days . Mrs Lebby said: 'I was supposed to pay it on Monday but my car broke down so I totally forgot about having to sort it out. 'Then the next morning I woke up with a leak. My carpet was soaking wet. I managed to get her to school on time but had to come back home and sort out the leak. 'I would never in a million years think they would refuse a child dinner because I’m a couple of days late. No one had made an attempt to phone me and tell me my daughter had not been having a dinner. 'The only reason I found out was because my daughter let it out.' Mrs Lebby, from Mitcham, works for the catering company that provides the school’s dinners at another school. She received a text from the school to say that because she was in arrears by £4 there 'may not' be a school lunch for her child today. Big bill: St Thomas's School in Mitcham, Wimbledon, said it needed to take drastic action after parents racked up £1,730 in unpaid dinner meals last year . Her daughter was given a substitute of two slices of bread and jam for two days. She has since made an official complaint to Merton Council and has said she does not want her daughter to return to the school. She said: 'I personally feel if they can make a child feel like that then I really don’t want her to go there at all. 'You don’t take it out on a child. All they had to do was pick up the phone and say we have noticed you are in arrears and your child will not be getting a dinner. I would have picked her up or brought down some lunch.' But the school has defended the decision and the need to take drastic action following the large bill which was racked up on unpaid dinner meals last year. Headteacher David Feasey said: 'We are liable for those arrears and if parents don’t pay we have to foot the bill and it’s taking money away from resources we could be spending on the children. 'Sometimes people experience difficulties and we can work around that.' However, he did say he would 'look into' the wording of the text message to make it clear to parents whether their child would be refused a school lunch. He added: 'It’s a parent’s responsibility to make sure their child is fed, not the schools. It’s a service we provide but it has to be paid for.'
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Mother Hazel Lebby is so furious she has threatened to take her child out of the school .
Headteacher said action was needed after parents racked up .
£1,730 in unpaid dinner meals last year .
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By . Chris Greenwood . PUBLISHED: . 16:03 EST, 19 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:31 EST, 20 July 2013 . For richer for poorer, for better for worse, in sickness and in health … . They made their vows a month ago, but Tamara Ecclestone and new husband Jay Rutland could hardly have expected them to be tested so soon. Barely three days after they arrived back in London after an extended honeymoon, Mr Rutland was robbed at knifepoint. Two men in hoodies allegedly stole Jay Rutland's £50,000 Rolex watch and a £20,000 gold bracelet as he relieved himself in bushes . Honeymoon's over: Tamara Ecclestone and her husband Jay Rutland at Ilford Police Station . The self-styled ‘international playboy’ was left battered and bruised in the attack, which happened in a side street near a garage. Two men in hoodies stole his £50,000 Rolex watch and a £20,000 gold bracelet. Mr Rutland, 32, said he was driving home alone from a friend’s house shortly after midnight on Wednesday when his fuel gauge started flashing, so he stopped for petrol at a garage off the A12 in Wanstead, East London. He had gone to relieve himself in some bushes in a secluded corner when he was approached by two men who he claims threatened him before assaulting and robbing him. One produced a knife and demanded cash and valuables, then Mr Rutland was hit in the face and knocked to the ground. During the scuffle one of the attackers dropped his phone. Mr Rutland picked it up and later handed it to police, which helped identify the man. Three people from the petrol station came to help Mr Rutland when they heard his screams and shouts. A close friend of Mr Rutland said: ‘It was a fairly vicious attack and Jay did sustain some mild injuries. He is very bruised and shaken.’ He had cuts to his face and a black eye when he arrived at Ilford police station the day after the robbery, accompanied by 29-year-old Miss Ecclestone. On the night of the attack it is believed . Rutland was driving his £100,000 customised Range Rover, which has his . name emblazoned across the bonnet. Mr Rutland married Miss Ecclestone, the socialite daughter of billionaire Formula One boss Bernie, at a lavish £7million celebration in Cannes last month . Three people from the petrol station came to help Mr Rutland when they heard his screams . Residents who live near the garage said the area was not known for crime and they were shocked at the robbery. One said: ‘I can’t believe something like that would happen. Especially at the garage and on such a busy road. We didn’t hear anything, and it was just a normal night.’ Mr Rutland married Miss Ecclestone, the socialite daughter of billionaire Formula One boss Bernie, at a lavish £7million celebration in Cannes last month. The couple have spent the weeks since enjoying a string of holidays, first on the French Riviera and then to the Italian island of Capri. After their wedding, the couple have spent the weeks since enjoying a string of holidays . Jay had an expensive looking gold watch while in the Bahamas earlier this month, although it's unknown if this is the one stolen . The robbery happened three days after their latest jaunt, to the Bahamas. Mr Rutland’s high-earning career in the City ended in shame last year, when he was banned from trading over ‘market abuse’. The Financial Services Authority concluded he was not a ‘fit and proper person’ and his behaviour demonstrated a lack of ‘honesty and integrity’. A decade earlier he was accused of selling cocaine out of a pub in Epping. A 21-year-old man appeared in court yesterday accused of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. He was remanded in custody. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Jay Rutland had stopped for petrol in east London, when he was beaten up .
Said he was relieving himself in bushes when he was assaulted and robbed .
He married Tamara Ecclestone in a lavish £7million celebration in Cannes .
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By . Stuart Woledge . PUBLISHED: . 05:52 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:53 EST, 30 August 2013 . Gobsmacked: Jamie O'Connell had to look twice after spotting the obscene hand gesture in the sky . The National Lottery's 'It Could Be You' advertising campaign was one of the most recognisable of its time, where a cloud formed the shape of a hand and pointed to an unsuspecting winner. The cloud's over Fort William in Scotland came up with their own take on the idea, when they formed the shape of a hand and made the sort of gesture that suggested its photographer, Jamie O'Connell, probably need not bother buying a ticket this week. Mr O’Connell was walking his dog along the Caledonian Canal near Neptune’s Staircase when the cloud well and truly gave him the finger. The 23-year-old had to look twice to make sure he wasn’t imagining the rude hand gesture. Mr O'Connell, an offshore steward, said: 'I was just walking the dog when I looked up and saw this cloud. 'I was absolutely gobsmacked. I had to double look at it, and I nearly wet myself. 'A lot of people have said it might be a sign - I must have annoyed someone!' The cloud, which broke through a rainy sky, has become a viral sensation since being Mr O'Connell posted it online. It's you: Daniel O'Connell was amazed when he spotted this offensive cloud formation in the skies above Fort William . He said: 'It’s so lifelike, it’s hard to believe it’s actually a cloud. It really looks like someone swearing, the detail is unbelievable. 'I think I’ve seen clouds that look a bit like dinosaurs in the past, but no-one has ever flipped off at me through the sky.' He is now keeping a close eye on the clouds in the hope he will be able to spot other lifelike figures. He added: 'I’ve always wanted to see Mufassa from The Lion King. He’s been my favourite film character since I was younger. It’s the best film of all time.'
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Man who spotted obscene gesture in the clouds 'absolutely gobsmacked'
Jamie O'Connell's picture of the skies above Fort William has gone viral .
He now hopes to spot favourite film character Mufassa from The Lion King .
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By . Paul Donnelley . The Oxford Union was in fresh turmoil last night after its treasurer resigned over the society’s handling of a sex scandal which has seen its president arrested on suspicion of rape. Charles Malton, 20, a history student at Christ Church, Oxford, left four days after the prestigious debating society’s leader Ben Sullivan, 21, was taken in by police. Mr Malton’s resignation letter to acting president Mayank Banerjee, of St John's College, said: ‘People are innocent until proven guilty and I have every hope that Ben will prove to be innocent. However, the way in which many within the Union have handled this situation over the last few weeks is not behaviour that I would wish to associate myself with.’ Charles Malton (left) resigned as Oxford Union treasurer over the way the union handled the arrest for alleged rape of its president Ben Sullivan (right) Prior to the arrest, Mr Malton voted for the Union to pay £1,200 in legal fees for Sullivan to take action against a student news website. The Tab Oxford had alleged Sullivan was a member of a drinking club called The Banter Squadron, which he later admitted was true. Mr Malton said his position had become ‘untenable’ following Sullivan’s arrest on suspicion of rape and attempted rape of two female students last year. Oxford University: Christ Church. Like its sister college, Trinity College, Cambridge, it was traditionally considered the most aristocratic college of its university . The debating society has been a breeding ground for notable figures since it was founded in 1823, with William Gladstone, Herbert Asquith , Edward Heath, Tony Benn, Benazir Bhutto, Michael Foot, Sir Robin Day, Gyles Brandreth, Jeremy Thorpe, Lord Heseltine, John Buchan, Foreign Secretary William Hague, Education Secretary Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, among its former presidents. Second year student Mayank Banerjee, 21, became the Union's acting president in place of Sullivan, pictured . But its leadership has been in crisis ever since allegations began swirling about Sullivan, a banker’s son from Kensington, west London, who studies history and politics. He was held by Thames Valley Police for several hours on Wednesday before being released on bail. The Oxford Union did not respond to requests for comment. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Charles Malton, 20, disassociated himself from union's handling of scandal .
Mr Malton approved £1,200 legal fees for Ben Sullivan to sue student site .
Sullivan arrested on suspicion of rape and attempted rape .
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A 25-year old Red Star Belgrade fan was stabbed to death during violence before a Euroleague basketball match in Istanbul on Friday. 'It was an act of hostility and a terrible tragedy ... I am distraught,' Zoran Markovic, the Serbian consul in the Turkish capital, told Serbia's state television (RTS). Red Star fans had travelled to Istanbul despite a ban on visiting supporters watching the match . 'We had been warning the Turkish authorities for two days prior to the game that it was going to be a high-risk match and we are now trying to make sure that all Red Star fans leave Turkey safely as soon as possible. 'I also wish to stress that the doctors fought like lions for the young man's life after he was rushed to hospital, the resuscitation attempts lasted five hours but he died because he had lost too much blood.' Galatasaray won the Euroleague encounter 110-103 in double overtime . Trouble flared outside the Abdi Ikpeci Arena in Istanbul when around 400 Red Star fans arrived but were banned from watching the match against Galatasaray, according to RTS. RTS reported that riot police then moved in with tear gas to quell the violence. The station also said Turkish media had reported that Red Star fans demolished several cars and shop windows in the area as they retreated. Galatasaray won the match 110-103 in double overtime.
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Red Star Belgrade fan was stabbed to death during violence before a Euroleague basketball match .
400 Red Star fans had travelled to Istanbul but were banned from watching the match against Galatasaray .
Serbian consul had warned Turkish authorities of the possibility of trouble .
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Many comedy sketches in the closing ceremony were meant to get a giggle from the crowd, but one of the funniest moments was completely unrehearsed - with Boris Johnson and David Cameron leaving viewers on stitches with their 'dad dancing' to the Spice Girls. The crowd erupted as the Spice Girls drove into the stadium in black cabs to make their first performance together since 2008 when their world tour was cut short. But as Sporty, Posh, Scary, Baby and Ginger Spice launched into a rendition of Spice Up Your Life while standing on top of their taxis, the camera panned round to show some unlikely stars of the show - Boris Johnson and Cameron strutting their stuff with their wives. Scroll down to watch Boris dad dancing... Strutting his stuff: Boris Johnson, second right, gives a perfect impression of 'dad dancing' next to his wife Marina Wheeler, far right . 'Dad dancing': Boris Johnson awkwardly rocked back and forth, using his arms for momentum, as his wife and David and Samantha Cameron clapped along to Spice Up Your Life . Rocking out: Boris Johnson became an unlikely star of the show after viewers took to Twitter expressing delight at his dance moves . Unfortunately, the London mayor and the Prime Minister gave a prime example of 'dad dancing', getting into 'girl Power' with slightly awkward punching of the arms while rocking their bodies from side to side. The pair were accompanied by their wives - Samantha Cameron and Marina Wheeler. Twitter erupted with viewers and even TV personalities commenting on the hilarious footage. BBC presenter Clare Balding said she was 'crying with laughter' - tweeting: 'Have had to rewind to Boris throwing those shapes & watch it three times.' While footballer Rio Ferdinand tweeted: ‘Gwaaaarn....Go on Boris Johnson, bopping + I swear singing along to the Spice Girls....Big! Hahaha classic from the future PM!!’ Girl power: The Spice Girls performed together for the first time since 2008 at the Olympics closing ceremony . Spice Up Your Life: Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham performed their first ever hit Wannabe during the show at the Olympic stadium . Together again: The Spice Girls' performance was one of the most hotly-anticipated of the ceremony . Lee Barratt, tweeting about the closing ceremony, said: 'It was worth watching this just to see Boris Johnson's dad dancing!' Another Twitter user added: 'Boris Johnson dancing aka funniest thing ever.' But after shaking some moves, Boris had to attend to his duties, handing over the flag to IOC President Jacques Rogge, who in turn presented it to Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, each waving the traditional four times. The London mayor's dancing debut comes hot on the heels of him getting stuck on a 150ft high, 1,000ft long zip wire at the London Live event in Victoria Park, east London, when he was left dangling over a crowd of people after losing momentum.
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Prime Minister and the Mayor of London were filmed dancing with their wives Samantha Cameron and Marina Wheeler .
Cameron and Johnson threw some shapes to the Spice Girls performing Spice Up Your Life .
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By . Lara Gould . PUBLISHED: . 18:14 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:16 EST, 1 June 2013 . No offence: Simon Cowell said it hadn't been his intention for the J-Lo performance to be 'deliberately sleazy' Britain’s Got Talent supremo Simon Cowell has defended Jennifer Lopez’s risqué appearance on the show, blaming a cameraman for getting ‘carried away.’ Cowell, 53, was responding to criticism of J-Lo’s appearance on Tuesday’s semi-final, which saw her perform wearing a leather leotard and thigh-high boots and triggered more than 100 complaints to regulator Ofcom. Cowell admitted the footage could have appeared shocking to viewers but insisted it wasn’t his intention to be ‘deliberately sleazy’. He said: ‘I think the cameraman got a bit carried away. When I was watching it in the studio, I wasn’t aware of some of the close-ups. It’s kind of worse in close-up. 'We are aware it is a family show. We never set out to deliberately cause offence.’ The broadcasting regulator is now considering whether to investigate the programme, after receiving dozens of complaints. Thousands of viewers took to Twitter to express their outrage, with some saying the singer looked like a ‘prostitute’. Even the show’s co-host Anthony McPartlin appeared taken aback, glancing at her outfit after the performance and raising his eyebrows. Only judge Amanda Holden seemed to be a fan, declaring: ‘JLo’s a***. I just wanted to bite it. It was fabulous’. Miss Lopez’s act was shown after the 9pm watershed during the Britain’s Got Talent results show on Tuesday. But lobby group Mediawatch UK said the programme had deliberately targeted younger viewers by screening the episode during the half-term holiday. Controversial: Thousands of Twitter users voiced complaint at J-Lo's performance on Britain's Got Talent . Its director . Vivienne Pattinson said: ‘Parents will have been more likely to let . their children stay up beyond their normal bedtimes. ‘And given the main . show is incredibly popular with children, lots of them will have wanted . to stay up a bit later to find out who won. It was totally . inappropriate to show something like this, given their audience. It . seems as if they never learn.’ Cowell’s comments came after a week of controversy for BGT. On Thursday, Sir Bruce Forsyth called on Cowell to stop auditioning children, claiming it was unfair to place youngsters under the pressure of performing on live television. Even the show's co-host Anthony McPartlin looked shocked by the singer's outfit . Last night, Cowell branded the comments ‘ridiculous’ and accused the star – who launched his own career at the London Palladium aged 14 – of double standards. ‘If Bruce Forsyth was sitting in front of me now, I’d ask him how old was he at his first audition? Maybe we’ll try and find some footage. The trouble is I don’t think there were cameras in those days,’ he said. ‘I’m used to criticism, but I always seem to get criticism from people who’ve made their career, made their money, and then start saying shows like ours shouldn’t exist. It’s kind of like, “Well I’ve made it, but other people can’t.” It’s completely hypocritical. That’s what frustrates me.’
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Performance in leather leotard and thigh-high boots sparked more than 100 complaints to Ofcom .
Cowell, 53, said intention was not to be 'deliberately sleazy'
'I think the cameraman got a bit carried away,' he said .
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One of the deepest mysteries in science - where all the antimatter went after the Big Bang and therefore why there’s matter at all in the universe – is a step closer to being solved, claim CERN researchers. It comes because they’ve reached an important milestone in being able to make precision comparisons between atoms of ordinary matter and atoms of antimatter. ‘We’ve demonstrated that we can probe the internal structure of the antihydrogen atom,’ said team spokesman, Jeffrey Hangst, ‘and we’re very excited about that. We now know that it’s possible to design experiments to make detailed measurements of antiatoms.’ SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Hi-tech: The CERN Alpha experiment uses cutting-edge equipment to trap antihydrogen atoms . Today, we live in a Universe that appears to be made entirely of matter, yet at the Big Bang, matter and antimatter would have existed in equal amounts. The mystery is that all the antimatter seems to have gone, leading to the conclusion that nature must have a slight preference for matter over antimatter. If antihydrogen atoms can be studied in detail they may provide a powerful tool for investigating this preference, as the results from CERN’s Alpha collaboration suggest. Hydrogen atoms consist of an electron orbiting a nucleus. By firing light at them the atoms can be excited, with the electrons jumping to higher orbits, and eventually relaxing back to their so-called ground state by emitting light. The frequency distribution of the light emitted forms a very precisely measured spectrum that, in the matter world, is unique to hydrogen. Pioneering: Professor Jeffrey Hangst at the Alpha experiment . Leap forward: Professor Hangst explained that his experiment means antimatter can now be better understood . Basic principles of physics say that antihydrogen should have an identical spectrum to hydrogen, and measuring this spectrum is the ultimate goal of the Alpha collaboration. ‘Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and we understand its structure extremely well,’ said Hangst. ‘Now we can finally begin to coax the truth out of antihydrogen. Are they different? We can confidently say that time will tell.’ In a paper published today in Nature, Alpha reports the first, albeit modest, measurement of the antihydrogen spectrum. In the Alpha apparatus, antihydrogen atoms are trapped by a sophisticated arrangement of magnetic fields acting on the magnetic orientation of the antihydrogen atoms. By shining microwaves with a precisely tuned frequency on the antihydrogen atoms, the collaboration flips the antiatoms’ magnetic orientation, thereby liberating antihydrogen from the trap. When this happens, the antihydrogen meets ordinary matter and annihilates, leaving a characteristic pattern in particle detectors surrounding the trap. This measurement shows that it is possible to set up experiments in which the internal properties of antihydrogen atoms can be changed by shining microwaves on them. In the near future, Alpha will work at improving the precision of the microwave measurements, and undertake complementary measurements of the antihydrogen spectrum using lasers.
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Milestone in comparing ordinary matter with antimatter has been reached, say experts .
Results helps shed light on where all the antimatter went after the Big Bang .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:01 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:03 EST, 16 December 2013 . Home Secretary Theresa May said tougher penalties of up to life imprisonment for human traffickers would lead to more prosecutions . Trafficking gang victims who are caught working in a cannabis farm or forced to run a brothel will escape prosecution. Home Secretary Theresa May announced a blitz on the ‘scarcely believable’ modern slave trade yesterday amid claims there are up to 10,000 UK victims. A Home Office bill will introduce a maximum sentence of life in prison for human traffickers, and new guidelines will be issued which state victims should not face prosecution. A review by Labour MP Frank Field says those who commit crimes after being trafficked usually do so ‘at the behest of their controllers’. It adds: ‘This may be children and young persons compelled into forced labour in cannabis farms and factories; those who are forced to run a brothel as part of their enslavement; or those in possession of false immigration documents.’ Mrs May warned last month of slaves working in nail bars. She said slavery is ‘all around us, hidden in plain sight’. Home Secretary Theresa May said that it was impossible to know exactly how many people are being held in conditions of servitude in Britain, but referrals to official agencies suggest that the numbers are growing. The draft Modern Day Slavery Bill, published today, sets out the Government's plans to tackle the problem of people being trafficked into the UK to work in conditions of slavery. Thousands of slaves are thought to work in building sites and farms as well as brothels, shops and in domestic servitude. The bill pulls together into a single act the offences used to prosecute slave-drivers and increases the punishments courts can hand down. Crime hotspot: Earlier this month police raided brothels, sex shops and lap dancing clubs in Soho in a crackdown on drugs and people trafficking . The government has been under pressure . to act because fewer than 10 prosecutions are secured each year, . despite there being thousands of victims. Labour . MP Frank Field, who has produced a report into slavery for the Home . Office, estimates that there are 10,000 victims of slavery in the UK. But . Mrs May said: ‘The honest position is that we don’t know if that’s the . right figure or whether there are fewer or indeed more victims in the . UK. ‘What we do know if . that we have seen more referrals to what is called the National Referral . Mechanism where people are able to refer people who they think have . been trafficked,’ she told BBC Radio 4. ‘I . mean we have seen more cases being identified in the UK through action . by the likes of the National Crime Agency and the Gangmasters Licensing . Authority and one of the purposes of bringing the bill forward is to . ensure we can enhance our ability to deal with the slavedrivers and . therefore reduce the prospect of people being victims in the future.’ Mrs May said one of the obstacles to successful prosecution was the reluctance of victims to come forward because of fears that they might themselves face prosecution or be sent back to their home countries. New guidance is being drawn up by the Director of Public Prosecutions to protect victims of slavery from being prosecuted for crimes which they have been forced to commit because of their illegal servitude, she revealed. However it is thought that because the victims of trafficking and slavery are often also prosuected - such as the case unsuccessfully brought against a group of Vietnamese children forced to work in a cannabis factory – it might deter victims from taking the stand against their exploiters. Mrs May added: ‘We do need victims to be willing to come forward and give evidence in these cases. ‘That issue of whether or not a victim is going to be treated as a criminal themselves is consistently raised. I have talked to both the former and the current Director of Public Prosecutions about the treatment of victims and about why it is that we are not seeking more prosecutions for trafficking and slavery cases. Labour's Yvette Cooper called for more protection for child victims of trafficking . ‘The DPP and the Crown Prosecution Service are issuing more guidance to make clear the circumstances around this question of where a victim has been forced into criminality because of their servitude, because of what the slave-driver has done.’ The Bill contains provisions to give automatic life sentences to offenders who already have convictions for very serious sexual or violent offences. It introduces Trafficking Prevention Orders to restrict the activity and movement of convicted traffickers and stop them from committing further offences. And a new Anti-Slavery Commissioner will be appointed to hold law enforcement and other organisations to account. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the legislation should do more to provide protection for child victims of trafficking. She said: ‘There is cross-party consensus that we need new action to tackle modern-day slavery. And we welcome the limited moves in this Bill. ‘But we would like to see the Bill go further - particularly to provide stronger legal protection for child victims. It is right to increase sentencing for traffickers and to make it easier to prosecute these heinous crimes and prevent repeat offending.’
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New laws mean human traffickers will face up to life in prison .
Victims sent to work in illegal environments will not face prosecution .
Report by Labour MP Frank Field estimates there are 10,000 slaves in UK .
Home Secretary Theresa May says it is difficult to know if it is even higher .
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 7 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:37 EST, 8 June 2012 . An internet troll who sent a threatening email to Conservative MP Louise Mensch failed to turn up at court to be sentenced today. Frank Zimmerman had targeted the MP for . Corby, Northamptonshire, last year telling her to stop using the social . networking site Twitter or face the consequences. After failing to turn up at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court in Gloucestershire for sentencing this afternoon, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Wanted: Internet troll Frank Zimmerman was due to be sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court in Gloucestershire this afternoon but failed to turn up . The agoraphobic, who lives in a run-down . house in Barnwood, Gloucester, told Mrs Mensch that she faced a . 'Sophie's Choice' - a reference to a novel in which heroine Sophie has . to choose between the life of her son or daughter at a Nazi . concentration camp. Zimmerman was charged with an offence of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing message or matter. At a hearing at Gloucester Magistrates' Court in April, he was found guilty in his absence, having failed to attend on that occasion, blaming his agoraphobia and depression. He attended court last month for sentencing but a district judge adjourned the case until today so that a pre-sentence report could be completed. A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said of this . afternoon's scheduled hearing: 'Zimmerman did not appear, and a warrant . for failing to surrender to bail was issued by the court, for him to be . arrested and brought before the court at the earliest opportunity. Concerns: Following a threatening email from Zimmerman, 40-year-old MP Louise Mensch immediately called in the police and arranged security for her family . 'The court declined to pass sentence in his absence.' Zimmerman's email, dated August 22 last year, read: 'Subject: You have been HACKED :D. 'Louise Mensch, nee Bagshawe, the slut of Twitter. We are Anonymous and we don't like rude c**** like you and your nouveau riche husband Peter Mensch. You have been hacked! 'We are inside your computer and all your phones, everywhere... and inside your homes. 'So get off Twitter. We see you are still on Twitter. We have sent a camera crew to photograph you and your kids and will post it all over the net, including Twitter. C***face. 'You now have a Sophie's Choice. Which kid is to go? One will, count on it c***. Have a nice day. From all of us at MIT 617-253-1000.' The 40-year-old MP, who has more than 58,000 followers on Twitter, immediately called in the police and arranged security for her family. Unbowed, she went on to tweet to followers: 'Had some morons threaten my children by email. To those who sent it: get stuffed losers.' The offensive email was later traced to the IP address of Zimmerman's home computer. Zimmerman denied sending it, saying his computer had been hacked. He told the court at last month's appearance that he had no way of getting to today's sentencing, saying: 'I am not physically capable of walking and I have no money. I have no money; I simply cannot afford to eat.'
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Frank Zimmerman was due to be sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court in Gloucestershire this afternoon .
He targeted the MP for Corby last year telling her to stop using Twitter or face the consequences .
Court issues a warrant .
for his .
arrest .
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0aa0e608581dfaa32896a1436ced85c1a7d84f73
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By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 13:27 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:46 EST, 28 January 2013 . A paranoid schizophrenic who chopped off his mother’s head because he thought she was a witch has admitted manslaughter today. Daniel Coriat, 44, beat 76-year-old Elizabeth Coriat to death before mutilating and decapitating her body. She was discovered at the flat she shared with her son in Taymount Grange, Forest Hill, southeast London, last March 24. Psychotic: Daniel Coriat beat his mother Elizabeth to death before decapitating her body . Coriat was discovered hiding inside a litter bin at nearby Forest Hill railway station shortly afterwards. When questioned by police, he claimed his mother was a witch, later adding: ‘You saw the body when it was taken away. It didn’t look human.’ Coriat was due to stand trial for his mother’s murder, but prosecutors accepted a plea to a lesser charge of manslaughter. Prosecutor Sarah Plaschkes QC said he was a paranoid schizophrenic and medical experts agreed he was suffering a psychotic episode at the time. The killer, who has a previous conviction for attacking a three-year-old boy in a buggy in a random street attack, will be sentenced tomorrow. Coriat denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.The murder charge was left to lie on the court file.
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Daniel Coriat beat his mother Elizabeth to death before mutilating her .
Medical experts said he was suffering a 'psychotic episode' at the time .
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0aa15c2764bf5c015341e6fca89176e7c0a0ac87
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Washington (CNN) -- Some very preliminary talks have been under way "for the past few days" to potentially allow Boston bomb suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to resume providing investigators with information about the attacks in exchange for having the death penalty taken off the table, two government sources say. The sources said such initial communications between opposing sides on a range of procedural and other issues are standard procedure. Communications are in the very early stages, and not a sign lawyers for either side are ready to make a deal, said one source, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the private discussions. The source emphasized these are not formal negotiations, and no deals have been offered. The discussions between prosecution and defense attorneys are at a "preliminary, delicate stage" and both refused to offer details of what either side would be willing to leverage, according to the sources. A Justice Department official said it is not accurate to suggest there are negotiations. "The notion that we are engaging in discussions over a penalty is not accurate," the official said. "As far as I know, there are no negotiations." The government has not said whether it will seek the death penalty in this case. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd noted Tuesday that "the federal charges against Tsarnaev authorize a penalty, upon conviction, of death or imprisonment for life, or any term of years." The charges include using a weapon of mass destruction. From fear to cheers: The final hours that paralyzed Boston . "We have no comment at this time on what potential penalty the government might seek if the defendant is convicted, particularly given that the defendant has only just been charged," Boyd added. This comes after a federal magistrate judge Monday approved appointment of a defense attorney who specializes in handling capital cases. Judy Clarke of San Diego has a reputation of working with high-profile clients to get death-eligible crimes reduced. She has represented Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Atlanta Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph, and most recently Tucson mass shooter Jared Lee Loughner. Clarke separately cut deals for all three to avoid lethal injection. The suspect is hospitalized with gunshot wounds at a federal Bureau of Prisons medical center in Devens, Massachusetts. He and his brother, Tamerlan, are suspected of detonating two explosive devices at the Boston Marathon race April 15, leaving three dead and more than 175 people wounded. The elder Tsarnaev was killed three days later in a gun battle with police. Legal sources say it is not unusual for both sides to reach out and begin these kinds of conversations in high-profile criminal cases. Those sources say both Tsarnaev's legal team and top-level Justice Department officials also have been meeting separately to weigh their options. Two federal public defenders in Boston -- William Fick and Miriam Conrad -- were in the hospital room April 22 when Tsarnaev had his first court appearance, and had his Miranda rights first read to him by federal Magistrate Marianne Bowler. Those lawyers had asked for Clarke to join the legal team, and they must decide whether their client will cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Tsarnaev's lawyers must weigh the initial evidence the government has presented against their client, and the strength of any additional charges that may be added when a formal indictment is presented in coming weeks. That evidence and Tsarnaev's own private statements about his alleged involvement will shape whether plea negotiations develop over time. On the other side, government sources say investigators are eager to resume questioning of Tsarnaev, for any details about other possible suspects and plots. What may have motivated the brothers to allegedly commit the terror acts is also of major interest to the U.S. intelligence community. Removing execution as a legal option could induce the suspect to talk, but nothing is expected until a grand jury hands down an indictment. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder would have the final say on whether prosecutors would pursue the death penalty at trial. That decision, too, is some weeks off, said another government source. A special team of federal agents were able to speak with the seriously wounded Tsarnaev for about two days without any Miranda warnings being given, under a "public safety exception." CNN has learned the young man admitted to the acts, and said he and his brother acted alone. Sources say he has since stopped talking with the government. CNN's Joe Johns and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.
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Boston bomb suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is no longer talking with investigators .
Sources: A deal could allow him to avoid the death penalty if he resumes providing information .
The talks are not a sign Tsarnaev's attorneys are ready to make a deal, one source says .
High-profile attorney Judy Clarke has been added to the defense team .
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A city lawyer died at his own 29th birthday party after falling down a disused rubbish chute in a block of flats. Gary O'Donoghue, a solicitor at EMW Law firm, disappeared during a celebration friends had thrown for him at an apartment in Shoreditch, east London, at around 6am. His body lay undiscovered for 24 hours, but was found by police at the bottom of the chute after officers searched the building. Friends and teammates have paid tribute to the talented footballer who played for UCL Academicals in the Amateur Football Combination, saying he will be 'sorely missed'. Gary O'Donoghue died at his own 29th birthday party after falling down a disused rubbish chute in a block of flats . He was last seen at around in the early hours of January 25 at the flat in Quaker Street, off Commercial Street in Spitalfields and friends hunted for 12 hours before calling police. Police are treating Mr O'Donoghue's death as unexplained but at this stage do not believe there to be any suspicious circumstances. Mr O'Donoghue had worked as a solicitor specialising in corporate finance at EMW Law firm, based in Chancery Lane, for more than five years. He had previously attended Nottingham Law School and took his undergraduate degree in law at the University of East Anglia. In a testimonial on the firm's website, he described his passion for his job, saying: 'I joined the firm in 2009 as a trainee and have not looked back since.' He was last seen at around in the early hours of January 25 at the flat in Quaker Street, east London and friends hunted for 12 hours before calling police . Mr O'Donoghue's family were today too distressed to comment on their son's death. Stuart Richards paid tribute on Facebook saying: 'I lost a pal this week - one of my football boys. Twenty-eight years old. Went missing after a birthday night out and then found dead a day later. 'The sadness comes in surreal waves. One minute I'm all punning on him being a left-winger - haha, politics - the next I'm pulling over on the side of the road in tears. 'It's like a glitch in my day-to-day thought continuum. A state of affairs that despite the very real, conscious acceptance of his death, just doesn't quite compute when you stop properly reflecting and let things be. 'I didn't even know him that well, but he was someone who as skipper I expected to turn up every week. Almost still do. Without exception he'd create a goal or bag himself. His friend David Hagan wrote: 'I will sorely miss Gaz.' Egbertian FC tweeted: 'Our condolences to friends, teammates and family of @UCLAccies player Gary O'Donoghue who passed away last week. RIP' A Met Police spokesman said: 'We were called to Quaker Street on January 25 at 6pm after a man was reported missing. We searched the property and the man's body was found. We are treating the death as unexplained.'
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Gary O'Donoghue, 29, disappeared during party friends had thrown for him .
He is believed to have fallen down disused rubbish chute at block of flats .
The lawyer's body lay undiscovered for 24 hours, but was found by police .
He was a solicitor at EMW Law firm specialising in corporate finance .
Friends and teammates have now paid tribute to the talented footballer .
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Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area residents were in a for a chilly Sunday as snow, sleet and hail hit the region. The chilly weather hit areas north and west of Washington, CBS DC reports, along with northern Virginia. Hail was even reported in Montgomery County and parts of northern Virginia on Sunday afternoon. Bundle up! A youngster prepares to cross Constitution Avenue in downtown Washington as snow and rain move through the Mid Atlantic region on Sunday. The weather caused 650 flight cancellations . All set for the weather? A woman holding a child smiles as she crosses Constitution Ave. in downtown Washington as the wintry mix falls on Sunday . Brrrrrrreak time! Students at McDaniel College campus in Westminster, Maryland seem to enjoy the surprise snowstorm on Sunday . More than an inch of rain hit Washington, D.C, according to Accuweather. More than 650 flights were cancelled by Sunday evening with another 6,000 delayed due to poor weather conditions, the website reports. The annual Blossom Kite Festival on the National Mall was also cancelled on Sunday after it was initially postponed due to Saturday's poor weather, CBS DC reports. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Baltimore, Montgomery and Carroll counties until midnight, the channel adds. A wind advisory for winds close to 50mph includes both Loudoun and Prince William counties, The Washington Post reports. Scattered tree and power line damage may be in the area. A Flash Flood Warning has also been issued for Montgomery Country through 8am on Monday. Snow and rain also put a damper on other parts of the Mid-Atlantic as well as New England, including Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Residents were seen bundled up in Pennsylvania, while Massachusetts drivers tried to avoid large puddles on the roads. Oh, the weather outside is frightful! A McDaniel student is seen on campus with an umbrella to battle the surprise snow in Westminster, Maryland . Light snow even fell on two residents as they walked in Shamokin, Pennsylvania . Out like a lion! This Sunday weather map shows where the wintry mix hit the mid-Atlantic .
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More than an inch of rain hit Washington, D.C.
More than 600 flights were cancelled by Sunday evening with another 5,800 delayed .
Blossom Kite Festival on National Mall also cancelled due to poor weather .
Hail reported in Montgomery County and parts of northern Virginia on Sunday afternoon .
Rain also affected parts of Mid-Atlantic and New England .
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London (CNN) -- Before he died last year, Jimmy Savile was viewed as a kind of UK equivalent to American TV icon Dick Clark, gaining fame by bringing music to generations of teens. Savile was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He now stands accused as a predatory sex offender. The shocking allegations have Britain reeling. Countless viewers who grew up watching Savile on TV's "Top of the Pops" and his children's program "Jim'll Fix It" are now questioning their trust in a social institution: the British Broadcasting Corporation. It's the worst crisis at the BBC in 50 years, says a top correspondent, and the scandal has prompted a wider examination into an alleged culture of sexism stretching back decades within Britain's widely respected public broadcaster. The scandal has also gripped the British media, with many questioning who knew what and when about the alleged abuse of mostly teenage girls and whether there was any attempt at a coverup. Police say they have identified more than 200 potential victims, with accusations spanning several decades, and are investigating other suspects in connection with alleged abuse. Savile died in October 2011 at age 84, soon after being treated in a hospital for pneumonia. Related: Ex-Scout describes abuse by Savile . Savile's favored target was apparently girls in their mid-teens in what one officer, Cmdr. Peter Spindler, said was "alleged abuse on an unprecedented scale." The BBC, on whose premises some of the sexual assaults occurred, has found itself in the dock of public opinion seeking to explain how his behavior went undetected for decades. The national public broadcaster has set up two independent inquiries, and Director General George Entwistle was called before a panel of lawmakers Tuesday to defend its handling of the scandal -- including why the broadcaster decided to drop an investigation into the star last year. "There is no question that what Jimmy Savile did and the way the BBC behaved in the years -- the culture and practices of the BBC seems to allow Jimmy Savile to do what he did -- will raise questions of trust for us and reputation for us," Entwistle said. "This is a gravely serious matter, and one cannot look back at it with anything other than horror, frankly, that his activities went on as long as they did undetected." Entwistle pointed out that the BBC was not alone in failing to uncover Savile's behavior, with no newspaper exposé published in his lifetime. And he drew a parallel with a furor that has recently gripped the United States, where retired Penn State University football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of molesting numerous children. "Mr. Savile has prosecuted his activities, his disgusting activities, in a matter that was very successfully and skilfully concealed, and experts in pedophile behavior have pointed out that's often the case," Entwistle said. "In the case of the United States, of Jerry Sandusky ... these people build very long-range plans to put them in contact with their targets. These things are institutionally, it seems, very difficult to deal with." Related: National treasure in life, reviled 'sex abuser' in death . Savile had access to psychiatric hospital . The National Health Service also faces difficult questions over the access Savile was allowed to a number of hospitals. Among them was Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital where Savile worked as a volunteer and had keys to the wards. In 1988, he was appointed to a senior role there, a move now being investigated by the NHS. The police may also be asked to explain why past abuse claims against Savile never led to investigations resulting in a prosecution in his lifetime. How celebrity scandal has rocked the BBC . Reasons behind the national outrage over the scandal include Savile's privileged position as a broadcaster. At a time when viewers had only a handful of channels to choose from, Savile was a BBC mainstay. Savile's program aimed at children, "Jim'll Fix It," ran for almost 20 years, airing in the prime Saturday teatime slot. Children wrote in with dreams they wanted the star to make come true -- and at the height of its popularity, the BBC said it was receiving 20,000 requests a week. The show's theme surrounded famous "fixes" that included an encounter between boxing legend Muhammad Ali and a group of Boy Scouts who also wanted to eat their packed lunches on a roller coaster, resulting in a predictable mess. Stories of abuse . Victims, male and female, have come forward with harrowing tales of sexual abuse. They also explain how the star's power and fame made it hard for them to speak out. Kevin Cook, who appeared on "Jim'll Fix It" as a Boy Scout at the age of 9, told of how he was invited into Savile's BBC dressing room after the show. Savile proceeded to undo his shorts and touch him inappropriately -- only stopping when someone else suddenly entered the room and, as abruptly, left. "He said to me, 'don't you dare tell anyone about this because no one will believe it, because I'm King Jimmy,' " Cook said. The boy could hardly bear to watch the show when it aired a few months later, to the great excitement of his family. "I just hated the man," Cook said. "I blamed myself for 37 years. That's the worst thing: You do blame yourself." Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party, sympathized with the plight of the victims. "Everyone has been sickened by the vile abuse perpetrated by Jimmy Savile, and it is impossible to overstate the suffering caused to those he abused," she said last week. Scandal rocks the BBC . Veteran BBC world affairs correspondent John Simpson gave an idea of the sense of disarray within the company during an interview broadcast Monday. "This is the worst crisis that I can remember in my nearly 50 years at the BBC. ... I don't think the BBC has handled it terribly well. All we have as an organization is the trust of people, the people that watch us and listen to us. ... If we start to lose that, that's very dangerous for the BBC." The BBC, which has repeatedly expressed its horror over the abuse, is now embroiled in painful internal turmoil, with the two independent inquiries raking over e-mails and conversations for evidence of who knew what when. One is focused on the culture and practices of the BBC, as well as the safeguards in place for members of the public and staff now and in the past, while the other is scrutinizing why its flagship current affairs program "Newsnight" dropped its investigation into Savile late last year. On Monday, the BBC said the program's editor, Peter Rippon, was "stepping aside" amid the furor. It labeled an October 2 blog post by Rippon explaining his decision to drop the investigation "inaccurate or incomplete in some respects." Hours later, another BBC program, "Panorama," broadcast its own probe into the "Newsnight" decision, suggesting that serious allegations had been made to "Newsnight" reporters before the investigation was shelved. On Tuesday, Entwistle told lawmakers that having watched the program, he was "surprised that nothing further happened" in light of the material dug up by "Newsnight." Meanwhile, the scandal continues to dominate conversation in homes, workplaces and pubs across the country as people seek to understand how a man widely seen as an eccentric hero could have duped the nation and done so much harm. The debate is all the more uncomfortable as Savile appears to have used his access to children, through his charity and TV work, as a means to prey on vulnerable young people for decades -- and has gone to his grave unpunished. CNN's Dan Rivers, Atika Schubert and Per Nyberg contributed to this report.
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BBC chief calls Jimmy Savile case "a very, very grave matter"
LIke American Dick Clark, Savile hosted teen music show for years .
Police say they have ID'd more than 200 potential victims .
The BBC's handling of the child sex abuse scandal is under scrutiny by lawmakers .
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A California couple has decided to end their 14-year marriage, not by divorce, but by uncoupling. Clark and Valerie Tate came together on a beach in front of their friends and 10-year old son, Jonah, to end their marriage in an 'uncoupling' ceremony, according to ABC News. Taking a cue from Gwyneth Paltrow and ex-beau Chris Martin, the Tates have decided to avoid the messy, expensive process of divorce and have what is called a 'conscious uncoupling.' Scroll down for video . 'Uncoupling': Clark and Valerie Tate have ended their marriage not with a divorce, but an 'uncoupling' Rings: In the ceremony, Clark and Valerie took off their wedding rings and gave them back to each other in the new age ritual . In the ceremony, Clark and Valerie took off their wedding rings and gave them back to each other in the new age ritual. 'These rings do not symbolize who we are to each other anymore,' Clark reportedly said in the ceremony. 'So we're releasing them,' Valerie added. By uncoupling, the Tate's no longer see themselves as being husband and wife -- though they technically are -- or romantically involved at all. That's about the only thing that will change in the lives of the two. Both will continue to live in the same home, -- with separate bedrooms -- maintain joint assets, and raise their son Jonah together keeping their family unit in tact while openly dating other people. Failing marriage: The Tates said that they began living as an 'uncouple' back in 2007 just five years after they began experience troubles . Clark: Clark, who had been married twice before, said that getting a divorce wasn't something he wanted to go through again . In an episode of ABC's Nightline, the Tates said that their marriage began to fail, but divorce was never an option for them. Their main priority is raising their son and they were determined to shield him from the effects of their failed relationship. Clark, who had reportedly been married twice before told ABC News that getting a divorce wasn't something he wanted to go through again. 'We weren't considering really changing the structure of our family unit,' Valerie added. Their recent uncoupling ceremony was not a spur of the moment decision, the Tates had opened up about their planning for a fall uncoupling ceremony to the New York Times back in August. The Tates told the Times that they began living as an 'uncouple' back in 2007 just five years after they began experiencing troubles. The Times reports that in 2002 Clark had a major surgery and suffered the loss of his father who died that same year. When their son was born, Clark experienced added stress and Valerie felt neglected. 'I missed Clark,' Valerie told the Times. Clark said he had been 'myopically' focused on their son. Priority: The Tates said their main priority is raising their son, Jonah, and they were determined to shield him from the effects of their failed relationship . Dating: Valerie is in a serious relationship and Clark is dating, the two have unwritten rules regarding dating and have decided to only introduce serious partners to their son . The two reportedly went to therapy in 2005, but by 2006, the two were not intimate and Valerie asked if she could 'bring her romantic needs elsewhere.' Clark and Valerie told ABC that Valerie is in a serious relationship and Clark is dating. They have unwritten rules regarding dating and they only introduce serious partners to their son. 'We give each other private time,' Valerie said. 'Maybe Jonah and Clark are out of the house, or vice versa. But most of it is, private time is spent elsewhere.' Clark said that the two are through their toughest times and are now in, what Valerie calls, 'the unknowns.'
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Clark and Valerie Tate came together on a beach in front of their friends and 10-year old son, Jonah, to end their 14-year marriage in an 'uncoupling' ceremony .
The two will continue to live in the same house, raise their son and maintain joint assets but will date other people .
The two have established rules for dating and 'give each other private time'
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By . Emma Innes . A young West Ham striker has died after a three year battle with testicular cancer. Dylan Tombides, 20, passed away today with his family at his bedside. The Australian footballer was first diagnosed with cancer while representing Australia during the 2011 Under 17 World Cup in Mexico. Dylan Tombides, a 20-year-old West Ham striker, has died after a three year battle with testicular cancer . Tombides was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and he died today with his family at his bedside. He is pictured (second right) with his father, Jim, brother, Taylor, and mother, Tracylee . He fought the disease for three years but has sadly lost his battle. West Ham released a statement which read: 'West . Ham United announce the sad news that forward Dylan Tombides has passed . away at the age of 20 following his brave battle with cancer. 'Dylan . passed away on Friday morning with his family by his side having . courageously fought the disease for three years after initially being . diagnosed with testicular cancer in summer 2011.' Perth-born . Tombides was regarded as one of the most exciting young players to come . out of Australia after signing with West Ham as a 14-year-old. After being diagnosed with cancer he battled back to make his first-team début in a League Cup match against Wigan in 2012. His death will be marked by a minute's applause before West Ham's home match against Crystal Palace this weekend. Tombides was viewed as one of the best players to come out of Australia. He is pictured sending a birthday message to his mother after scoring in the Under 17 World Cup in 2011 . Before he passed away, Dylan took to Twitter to thank fans for their support . Tombides was told he has cancer while in Cancun, Mexico, with his father. A random drugs test following a match against Uzbekistan has uncovered a tumour on one of his testicles. In an interview he explained: ‘I was 17, a young man and I had never come across cancer. All I was thinking about was getting in the West Ham team and taking my driving test. Since Tombides' death, tributes have poured in for the young footballer . 'All I ever wanted to be was a top professional footballer with West Ham. I copped one in my groin against Brazil at the World Cup and I knew that I had a problem, but I had no idea it was cancer. ‘It was only when I took the phone call in Cancun that I realised just how serious the condition was. 'I had the blood tests and CT scans when I got back to England and they told me I needed to have a testicle removed immediately.' FIFA president Sepp Blatter led the messages of condolences to Tombides' family tweeting: 'My thoughts & prayers are with the family of Dylan Tombides'. He is pictured showing off a surgical scar in May 2012 . Football mad: Tombides shows off his West Ham and Australia shirts to cameraman Alan Walter . Tombides has a 45 minute operation to remove the tumour and then spent weeks in St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, having chemotherapy. His mother, Traceylee, said in an earlier interview: 'It was a period of helplessness. As a parent we wanted to protect our kids, but we had no control. 'I often thought cancer would happen in the lives of our family at some point, but not my kids.’ FIFA president Sepp Blatter led the messages of condolences to Tombides' family by tweeting: 'My thoughts & prayers are with the family of Dylan Tombides, @whufc_official & @FFA today. Rest in peace Dylan.' Testicular cancer is most common in men aged 15 to 44 and affects 2,000 each year in the UK. The most common symptom is a lump or swelling in one testicle, but 20 per cent of patients also experience pain in their testicles or lower abdomen. A feeling of 'heaviness' in the scrotum is another symptom. People with an undescended testicle have a greater risk of testicular cancer as do people with a family history of the disease. It is five times more common in white men than in black men and is also more common in tall men. It is one of the most treatable cancers - 97 per cent of patients survive for more than five years after diagnosis. For more information visit www.orchid-cancer.org.uk . In it's statement the club added: . 'Dylan's amazing resilience and positivity saw him through months of . surgery and chemotherapy, while his outstanding talent saw him make his . first-team début in a League Cup tie with Wigan Athletic at the Boleyn . Ground in September 2012. 'Away from the pitch, Dylan did a huge amount of work to raise awareness of male cancer, supporting the One for the Boys campaign at a number of high-profile events alongside the likes of Hollywood star Samuel L. Jackson, snooker star Jimmy White and fellow Australian Peter Andre. 'Dylan was respected by everyone who knew . him for his intelligent views on the game and his larger than life . character. 'He was a loving son, amazing brother and well-respected . member of the West Ham squad. He will be hugely missed by everyone who . had the honour of knowing him. 'His passing will be marked by a . minute's applause ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League fixture . with Crystal Palace at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers' players will also . wear black armbands in his memory. 'The . thoughts of everyone associated with the club are with his parents . Tracylee and Jim, brother Taylor, his family and friends at this sad . time. 'The club request that their privacy is now respected and they are allowed to grieve their much loved son and brother in peace.' Dylan's . brother Taylor, a West Ham youth player, tweeted: 'R.I.P. Dylan my . beloved brother you will be missed but never forgotten you was a massive . inspiration to everyone.' Testicular cancer is most common in men aged 15 to 44 and affects 2,000 each year in the UK. Dylan's brother, Taylor, a West Ham youth player, tweeted: 'R.I.P. Dylan my beloved brother you will be missed but never forgotten you was a massive inspiration to everyone' The most common symptom is a lump or swelling in one testicle, but 20 per cent of patients also experience pain in their testicles or lower abdomen. A feeling of 'heaviness' in the scrotum is another symptom. People with an undescended testicle have a greater risk of testicular cancer as do people with a family history of the disease. It is five times more common in white men than in black men and is also more common in tall men. It is one of the most treatable cancers - 97 per cent of patients survive for more than five years after diagnosis. John Hartson, 39, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2009. The former Arsenal and West Ham United player was given chemotherapy because the cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. The treatment was successful and in December 2009 it was reported that the cancer had been virtually eradicated from his body. Despite this, he was told he would need more treatment. Neil Harris, a Millwall and Southend player, was diagnosed with the disease in 2001. He was diagnosed after noticing that one of his testicles felt larger than the other. He had surgery and radiotherapy and says he was lucky because his cancer was caught early. He returned to playing football just months after his diagnosis. Alan Stubbs, 42, who played for Bolton Wanterers, Celtic, Everton, Sunderland and Derby County has battled cancer twice. He initially had testicular cancer and then a tumour was found at the base of his spine. He has now been free of cancer for more than 10 years. Chris Anderson, a Spartans striker, was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year. After eight months of treatment he was given the all-clear.
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Dylan Tombides was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2011 .
He fought the disease for three years having surgery and chemotherapy .
The Australian footballer died today with his family at his bedside .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from .
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0aa52a11710ee0b17644143a3d21f70e8689ec3c
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Brooklyn, New York (CNN)A New York police officer was charged Wednesday with second-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed Brooklyn man in November. Officer Peter Liang was arraigned Wednesday in Brooklyn Supreme Court for "recklessly" causing the death of Akai Gurley, according to court documents. In addition to the manslaughter charge, Liang faces one count of criminally negligent homicide, one count of second-degree assault, one count of reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct. He was released without bail. If Liang were convicted on the charge of second-degree manslaughter, he could face up to 15 years in prison. "The defendant ignored his training" when he used his firearm, lead prosecutor Marc Fliedner told the court. The defendant also did not try to help Gurley, instead retreating to a hallway and telling a fellow officer "I'm going to get fired," Fliedner said. The prosecution will prove Liang made a "deliberate motion" with his firearm, he added. CNN tried to get a comment after court from defense attorney Stephen Worth but was unsuccessful. Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson thanked Fliedner and others "who worked so hard on this case so that the judicial process could be conducted fairly." Thompson also thanked NYPD officers for their assistance. It was important to "recognize the courage and valor" that many officers showed when they responded to the scene, he said. Several officers tried to stop Gurley's bleeding. Prosecutors don't believe Liang intentionally killed Gurley, the DA said, but he had his finger on the trigger and an innocent man was killed. Gurley, 28, was "a total innocent who just happened" to run into Liang in a "pitch black" stairwell at the Louis H. Pink Houses in Brooklyn, New York Police Commissioner William Bratton told reporters the day after the killing. At the time, the NYPD said the fatal shot was an "accidental discharge." Liang, with less than 18 months on the job and on probationary status, had been placed on modified assignment and stripped of his gun and badge pending an investigation. "This officer deserves the same due process afforded to anyone involved in the accidental death of another," Patrick Lynch, head of the police union, said in a Tuesday statement. "The fact that he was assigned to patrol one of the most dangerous housing projects in New York City must be considered among the circumstances of this tragic accident." Liang and his partner were part of a "violence reduction overtime detail" at the Pink Houses, where a spate of serious crimes have been reported in recent months, including two robberies and four assaults, Bratton told reporters after the shooting. The officers had taken an elevator to the building's top floor to check on the roof and were taking the stairs down from the 8th floor, Bratton said, when the officer fired his weapon. There were no lights in the stairwell leading up to the roof. Liang drew a flashlight and his weapon "for safety reasons," the police commissioner said. The other officer did not draw his gun. In the darkened stairwell, Liang's gun discharged about the same time that Gurley, the father of a 2-year-old child, and his girlfriend were entering the seventh-floor landing, Bratton said. Shot once in the chest, Gurley died at a hospital. The lights on the seventh and eighth floors were not working, Bratton said. The police commissioner said the decision on when to draw a weapon is the discretion of officers "based on what they are encountering or believe they may encounter. So there is not a specific prohibition against taking a firearm out. But again, as in all cases, an officer would have to justify the circumstances that required him to or resulted in unholstering his firearm." The shooting also is being investigated by police internal affairs. Gurley's shooting occurred at a time of strained police-community relations after the July death of Eric Garner at the hands of police on Staten Island. The chokehold death of the unarmed 43-year-old man sparked street protests, a review of police procedures and calls for a federal civil rights investigation. A grand jury declined to prosecute the officer. A few weeks after Garner's death, the police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, of unarmed teenager Michael Brown thrust into the forefront the issue of law enforcement's use of deadly force. A grand jury declined to prosecute Officer Darren Wilson, a decision that led to national demonstrations.
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Akai Gurley was taking the unlit stairs at a housing complex when he shot in the chest .
Prosecutors charged the officer involved with second-degree manslaughter, other counts .
District attorney says he believes shooting not intentional, but innocent man was killed .
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A 93-year-old World War II veteran who left high school to enlist in the Army has finally received his diploma. Domenic Giarrusso was honored Thursday with a ceremony and received the qualification he would have received when he quit to join the war effort in 1940. During hid service he worked as an airplane mechanic and earned his GED when he returned to Rhode Island. But he didn't have a graduation ceremony. Scroll down for video . Domenic Giarrusso was honored Thursday with a ceremony and received the qualification he would have received when he quit to join the war effort in 1940 . As his daughter and grandson looked on in the library at Cranston High School West, Giarrusso was handed the framed document by Providence School Supt. Susan Lusi. She told him his degree was earned not only in the classroom but in the experience of his life. After the brief ceremony, Giarrusso said he's come 'full circle in life. Life is complete.' 'I enlisted into the service because I felt that there was a job that needed to be done.",' he told ABC 6. His work with airplanes has left him hard of hearing but as he flashed his still mint condition bomber jacket for reports it was clear his hear and spirit were still strong. Before receiving the diploma he gave the school a special talk about his wartime experience. During hid service he worked as an airplane mechanic and earned his GED when he returned to Rhode Island. But he didn't have a graduation ceremony . Though his daughter and grandson were there, his wife was sadly not. 'My wife passed away two and a half years ago which I miss greatly. Wish she were here,' he said. Grandson Steve Giarrusso called it a proud moment. 'I hear all the stories of him being in the service, not so much from when he was in school; now I know why. And so very proud of him to have it come full circle for him,' he said. The elder Giarrusso left students with some words of wisdom. 'It's not about me; it's we. We gotta depend on each other to accomplish things,' he said.
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Domenic Giarrusso was honored Thursday with a ceremony and received the diploma he would have received when he quit high school in 1940 .
During the war, he served as an airplane mechanic. But he didn't have a graduation ceremony .
As his daughter and grandson looked on in the library at Cranston High School West, Giarrusso was handed the framed document by Providence School Supt. Susan Lusi .
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By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 08:35 EST, 20 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 20 August 2013 . A wealthy parking-lot magnate has been accused of giving his model girlfriend herpes after promising her he was clean of all sexually transmitted diseases, it emerged today. The unnamed Soho model is suing William Lerner, 57, who owns Imperial Parking Systems, for $5million. Papers filed yesterday in Manhattan Supreme Court say that Lerner met the 43-year-old model at an art gallery in 2012 and wooed her for several months. They went on 'expensive' dates and he even took her to Aruba on a romantic trip. Parking magnate: Bill Lerner, pictured left with his wife Alexandra, is accused of giving a Soho model herpes . The model told the New York Post: 'We had fallen in love. It was a very serious relationship very quickly. The entire time, I had protected sex . with him. 'It did cross my mind that maybe he . should be tested, but on the other hand, I trusted him completely.' It was in March 2012 that Lerner convinced her he didn't have any health issues and they had unprotected sex for the first time. It was just a few days later she experienced a herpes outbreak, the papers allege. When she went to the doctor, he told her she had recently been exposed to the herpes virus. When she contacted Lerner and confronted him about it, he allegedly offered to pay $700 in medical expenses. She ended their relationship soon after, her lawyers, Matthew Blit and Justin Clark, said. Lerner's lawyers have yet to respond for comment. It is not known if Lerner and his wife Alexandra are estranged.
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William Lerner owns Imperial Parking Systems - largest garage operator in tristate area .
Unnamed Soho model said she trusted him enough to have unprotected sex with him .
Days later she had a herpes outbreak .
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By . Sophie Borland, Francesca Infante and Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 18:51 EST, 7 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 8 February 2013 . A healthcare assistant at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital dragged a frail dementia patient around by his pyjamas and called him an ‘animal’, investigators have said. Bonka Kostova allegedly pulled the 73-year-old out of a toilet in a state of undress and told him she ‘hated having to work with people like him’. She will appear before the Nursing and Midwifery Council next week to face charges that her aggression and treatment of the patient, who also has Parkinson’s disease, means she is not fit to practise. Fears: David Cameron has ordered probes into five more trusts following the Mid Staffordshire scandal but expert Brian Jarman believes 21 more could be added to the list . Pressure: Campaigners and members of the 'Cure the NHS' group outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre after reading the findings of the Francis Inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust Foundation . Bulgarian-born Kostova is accused of . shouting at him: ‘You are no longer a human being but an animal.’ She . is alleged to have said ‘I hate you’ or words to that effect. An inquiry found up to 1,200 patients . died on casualty wards at Stafford between 2005 and 2009 thanks to an . obsession with Labour targets. The latest incident was in 2010 – one . year after the period covered by the report – suggesting the problems . could be continuing. Last night it emerged that the . Mid-Staffordshire trust, which covers the hospital, was one of 100 who . have still not signed an Alzheimer’s Society pledge to improve dementia . care. Jeremy Hughes, the charity’s chief executive, said: ‘The appalling failures at Mid-Staffs affected people with dementia. ‘Despite the Government’s prioritisation of the condition, some hospitals are still failing vulnerable people. 'Lengthy stays in hospital can cause people’s condition to worsen, rather than helping them to get well. ‘Hospitals must act now to improve care for people with dementia. 'Only half of hospitals have made a commitment and we need Stafford Hospital to be one of them to support improvement. 'Every day of inaction threatens more scandals of neglect and inappropriate treatment.’ The latest scandal to emerge is alleged to have happened on July 22 2010, according to the NMC charge sheet. Although she is a registered midwife, . Bulgarian-born Kostova had been employed by the trust as a healthcare . support worker since April 2009. The incident happened when she was on a . night shift on ward six at Stafford Hospital. The sheet reveals that Kostova . continued to be employed at the trust for a further two months. Her case . will be heard on February 12. Analysis suggests more than 4,000 patients a year are dying needlessly in the care of 26 NHS trusts. The study shows the scandal at . Stafford hospital – where 1,200 are thought to have died through neglect . – was not an isolated case. The figure of 26 represents one in . six of the country’s health trusts. David Cameron has responded to the . crisis by ordering probes into five trusts with high mortality rates. But Brian Jarman, a globally-recognised expert on hospital performance, believes 21 more should be added to the list. To come up with that figure, the . professor compared the numbers of patients who would normally be . expected to die at a trust with the number of actual deaths. The ‘normal’ figure is based on admissions and illnesses. His technique – developed in the 1990s – led to the realisation in 2007 that too many patients were dying at Mid Staffordshire. The head of the NHS was facing . growing calls to step down yesterday. The investigator who carried out . the original inquiry into Mid Staffordshire said Sir David Nicholson . should go. Heather Wood, who headed the 2009 . Healthcare Commission probe but has since joined the campaign group Cure . the NHS, said: ‘If this were a private sector organisation that had . failed to such an extent, we would be calling for the boss to take . responsibility. ‘There is a big case to answer for the creation of that culture.’ Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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David Cameron ordered probe into five trusts after Mid Staffordshire scandal .
But expert warns another 21 trusts with high mortality could be added to list .
Solicitors are preparing to act against nine trusts accused of neglecting elderly patients .
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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 05:16 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:22 EST, 23 October 2013 . A huge piece of the Chelyabinsk meteorite, which crashed into Russia earlier this year, has gone on display at a local museum. The meteor fireball exploded over the Ural Mountains in February causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,600 people. A 600kg rock, believed to be one of the largest pieces of this meteorite, is currently being exhibited at the Chelyabinsk Regional History Museum in the Southern Urals. Scroll down for videos... A 600kg fragment of the Chelyabinsk Meteorite at the Chelyabinsk Regional History Museum is shown here. The chunk was recovered from the bottom of Chebarkul Lake, some 60km west of Chelyabinsk. The meteorite exploded over Chelyabinsk Region in February 2013 . The chunk was recovered from the bottom of Chebarkul Lake, some 60km west of Chelyabinsk, following a recovery operation last week. The meteorite broke up into multiple pieces as it entered the atmosphere, scattering space debris and creating a shock wave estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs. Live . footage on Russian TV showed a team pull out a 1.5-metre-long (five-foot-long) rock . from the lake after first wrapping it in a special casing while it was . still underwater. A meteor fireball, pictured, crashed into Russia in February, It was part of a 656-feet wide asteroid called 2011 EO40. Spanish astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor and claim it came from the Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses passed earth as it orbits the sun . Chelyabinsk, 900 miles east of Moscow and close to the Kazakhstan border, took the brunt of the impact . A meteor that blazed across southern Urals in February was the largest recorded meteor strike in more than a century. More than 1,600 people were injured by the shock wave from the . explosion, estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs, as it . landed near the city of Chelyabinsk. The . fireball measuring 18 meters across, screamed into Earth's atmosphere . at 41,600 mph. Much of the meteor landed in a local lake called . Chebarkul. Other than the latest find, scientists have already uncovered more . than 12 pieces from Lake Chebarkul since the February 15 incident. However, only five of them turned out being real meteorites. The rock broke up into at least three . large pieces as scientists began lifting it from the ground with the . help of levers and ropes. The scale itself broke the moment it hit the 570-kilogramme (1,255-pound) mark. ‘The rock had a fracture when we found it,’ one unnamed scientists told the lifenews.ru website in a live transmission. ‘It weighed 570 kilogrammes before the pieces fell off. And then the scale broke,’ said the scientist. ‘We think the whole thing weighs more than 600 kilogrammes,’ he said. The Vesti 24 rolling news channel . reported that divers had already recovered more than 12 pieces from Lake . Chebarkul since the February 15 incident. The station cautioned that only four or five them turned out being real meteorites. Last week, scientists recovered what could be giant chunk of the Chelyabinsk meteor from the bottom of the lake it crashed into in the Urals, Russia . The meteor fireball that crashed into Russia in February was part of a 656-foot wide asteroid called 2011 EO40. The fireball measuring 18 meters across, screamed into Earth's atmosphere at 41,600 mph. Six fragments of the meteorite have already been handed over to National Museum of Natural History in Paris. In . August, NASA satellites made the unprecedented measurements of the . meteor which is thought to have released 30 times more energy than the . atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. Spanish . astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor that were scattered . across the Russian town of Chelyabinsk, where the meteor landed, and . claim it came from the large Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses . passed Earth as it orbits the sun. They . added that the piece may have broken off because of the stress caused . by the gravitational pull of the planets and the sun, or could have been . caused by the asteroid hitting into something else during its orbit. Satellite data from Nasa has revealed that that four days after the bolide explosion, the faster, higher portion of the plume (red) had snaked its way entirely around the northern hemisphere and back to Chelyabinsk in Russia .
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Meteor seen over Russia in February while travelling at 41,600 mph .
Rock is believed to be one of the largest pieces to be found .
The chunk was recovered from the bottom of Chebarkul Lake last week .
It is now on display at the Chelyabinsk Regional History Museum .
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By . Sean Gallagher for MailOnline . West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says he is not shocked with comparisons made between new signing Cheikhou Kouyate and Patrick Vieira after his impressive debut against Tottenham on Saturday. The 24-year-old, who joined for a reported £7million from Anderlecht earlier this summer, was the Hammers' star performer in the narrow defeat with his pace and power a constant thorn in the home side's midfield. And his new manager was understandably delighted with Kouyate's first performance for the Irons. Impressive: Kouyate was West Ham's star performer as they fell to a narrow defeat against Spurs . Powerful: Kouyate has plenty of pace and power in his locker . Similarities: Kouyate has many characteristics that Patrick Vieira had as a player . Impressed: Allardyce has drawn comparisons with Kouyate and Vieira . In his column for the Evening Standard Allardyce said: 'I thought he (Cheikhou) was our man-of-the-match against Tottenham last week and I, for one, would be delighted if he came close to emulating Patrick's consistent level of performance. 'It was a brilliant debut and one which you don't see too often in the Premier League. 'Normally, when players first come here from abroad, they're shouting for pure oxygen because they struggle to cope with the sheer intensity of our game. 'Apart from right at the end against Spurs, when he did go down for a rest after yet another run, his fitness was superb — and infectious because the rest of the players will be saying to themselves: 'Come on, I've got to get up there with him.' Allardyce will be hoping for more of the same of Kouyate's infectious displays from the rest of his squad as they look to bounce back from defeat to Spurs when they make the short trip to managerless Crystal Palace on Saturday.
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Allardyce is not surprised that Kouyate has drawn comparisons with the former Arsenal midfielder .
Kouyate impessed for West Ham as they lost 1-0 to Tottenham on Saturday .
The West Ham boss was taken aback by Kouyate's fitness levels .
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Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- The FBI used a photograph of a Spanish lawmaker as part of a digitally enhanced Osama bin Laden wanted poster, and the U.S. Embassy here has apologized to the angry politician, a spokesman said. "That was not normal procedure. It was completely unintentional and the FBI is looking into it to prevent it from happening again," U.S. Embassy spokesman Will Ostick told CNN on Saturday. Ostick said he called the leftist politician, Gaspar Llamazares, to "express regret" on behalf of the embassy after the lawmaker's hair and forehead wrinkles, taken from a photo, were mixed into an FBI image showing the possible appearance of Bin Laden now. The embassy received various calls from the Spanish government earlier Saturday expressing concern about the use of Llamazares's features in the FBI's depiction, Ostick said. Spain's Interior Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba is meeting the new American ambassador to Madrid, Alan Solomont, on Monday, the ministry announced Sunday. The ministry did not say what they would be talking about, but the meeting appears to have been scheduled at short notice and is taking place on a U.S. federal holiday when the embassy is not expected to be open. The digitally enhanced images of Bin Laden appeared Friday on the U.S. government's Rewards for Justice Web site. One depicts how an aging Bin Laden might look now, wearing his usual turban. But the other one, depicting him without the head covering, showed the hair and facial wrinkles that were taken from a photo of Llamazares. That photo is no longer on the U.S. government's Web site. Ostick said he told Llamazares that the error occurred when an FBI "technician who put together the digitally enhanced image found an image (of hairline and wrinkles) that suited his purposes, and used it." Llamazares, an elected member of Spanish parliament from the small, Communist-led United Left coalition, said he wants to know which photo of him the FBI used, and he threatened possible legal action. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that the Llamazares photo was from his 2004 election campaign. Llamazares told reporters that he hoped it was just a case of the "low level and incompetence" of the FBI in the fight against Al Qaeda. He said he would not travel to the United States, for fear of problems at the border, CNN partner station CNN+ reported.
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FBI used photo of Spanish politician to depict older Osama bin Laden .
U.S. Embassy spokesman has apologized to Gaspar Llamazares for the "completely unintentional" error .
Llamazares' hairline and wrinkles were transposed onto an image of the Al Qaeda leader .
Politician says he hopes it was just a case of "incompetence"
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(CNN) -- The Southeast is among the areas of the United States with the highest concentration of cases of HIV and AIDS, according to a new online tool called the National HIV/AIDS Atlas. In this map of AIDS prevalence rates in the Southeast, red represents the highest (0.593 percent or greater). AIDS experts in the region say that access to health care, especially when it comes to screening, is a major problem in rural communities. In the Southeast, people with HIV tend to get tested late, after they have become sick, partly because of stigma, said Kathie Hiers, executive director of AIDS Alabama in Birmingham. "If you look at access to health care and almost any kind of health care report card, the South is the worst," she said. With little or no public transportation, people in non-metropolitan areas are at a disadvantage when they need to see a particular kind of doctor, experts say. There is also a shortage of doctors who deal with HIV in the region, Hiers said. These problems also resonate with Georgia's rural communities, which represent 39 percent of the HIV/AIDS burden in the state, said Raphael Holloway, director of the HIV Unit at the Georgia Division of Public Health. The remaining 61 percent of people living with HIV or AIDS are in the metro Atlanta area. "In some districts, for example, there may be 10 counties within that health district but only one infectious disease doctor that people can access for care and services," he said. It is also difficult to get HIV education to people in rural areas, he said. Of the 29 states reporting county-level data for the National HIV/AIDS Atlas, Georgia had more counties than any other state with the highest levels of HIV and AIDS prevalence. Although this does not represent a comprehensive national assessment, Georgia ranked fifth in reporting of new AIDS cases in 2007, behind Texas (fourth), Florida (third), New York (second) and California (first), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Northeast also has a heavy burden of HIV/AIDS cases nationally, atlas collaborators said. Other states with high numbers of counties with high HIV prevalence included Florida, New York and South Carolina. The atlas, the first of its kind to map out HIV and AIDS at the level of counties, launched in time for Saturday's HIV/AIDS Testing Day. The National Institutes of Health is encouraging everyone age 13 to 64 to get tested for HIV as part of routine health care. "Not knowing one's HIV status endangers one's health and the health of one's sexual partners. By getting tested for the virus and learning one's HIV status soon after infection, treatment can begin early, substantially delaying the development of HIV-related illness and prolonging life," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The National HIV/AIDS Atlas allows users to explore the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in any region of the United States. The map, a project of the National Minority Quality Forum, encompasses all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The more red a region appears, the greater the prevalence, which is the ratio of the number of people living with the disease at a given time to the total number of people living there at that time. Users can look at rates of disease by gender, race/ethnicity and age group in regions where this information is available. The map also has different settings for HIV and AIDS, the more severe illness caused by the HIV virus. They can also zoom into counties and, for New York City only, ZIP codes. About 33 million people have HIV/AIDS worldwide as of 2007, according to the World Health Organization. The CDC estimates that 1.1 million Americans have HIV and that 56,300 new infections occurred in the United States in 2006. Nearly 75 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adolescents and adults in that year were for males. People who worked on the atlas project were surprised at how concentrated HIV and AIDS are in certain U.S. counties. "Being able to look at all the data in this way reminds us that the HIV epidemic is not uniformly distributed throughout the U.S.," said Patrick Sullivan, associate professor of epidemiology at Emory University, who collaborated on the atlas. The atlas also reflects the disproportionate number of African-Americans who have HIV and AIDS. "You can see at the level of the national map that there's so much variation in the U.S. about which groups have been impacted," Sullivan said. Demographics and county-level data are not available for some states, or parts of some states, because of the way these places report data by region, researchers said. These areas appear as gray when users zoom in. Some places also appear gray because the disease case count is so low. The atlas is based on data from public health departments from 2006, the most recent available. Collaborators say they hope to update the maps when new data become available. The atlas, which launched Monday morning, had about 100,000 visitors by Tuesday afternoon, and more than 10,000 people completed the free registration in that time, said Gary Puckrein, executive director of the atlas project. To find an HIV testing facility near you, visit www.hivtest.org.
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HIV epidemic is not uniformly distributed throughout the U.S.
Disproportionate number of African-Americans have HIV/AIDS .
Atlas is based on data from public health departments from 2006 .
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The world's first space conversation between a robot and an astronaut is set to take place later this year. The talking robot called Kirobo - after 'kibo', which means hope in Japanese, and 'robot' - is set to join a Japanese astronaut into space in August. Its developers have gathered in Tokyo to demonstrate the . humanoid robot's ability to talk and it has been answering questions . from attending journalists. The robot called Kirobo, pictured, will be sent to the International Space Station in August to communicate with astronauts stationed on the station for long periods of time . Kirobo is a mix of 'kibo', which means hope in Japanese, and 'robot'. Its developers gathered in Tokyo to demonstrate the humanoid robot's ability to talk and it was able to answer questions from attending journalists . The experiment is a collaboration . between advertising and PR company Dentsu, the Research Center for . Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, Robo Garage . and Toyota Motor Corp. 'Russia was the first to go outer space, . the U.S. was the first to go to the moon, we want Japan to be the first . to send a robot-astronaut to space that can communicate with humans,' said Yorichika Nishijima, the Kirobo project manager. Tomotaka Takahashi, CEO of Robo Garage and associate professor at the University of Tokyo, said he hopes robots like Kirobo that hold conversations will eventually be used to assist astronauts working in space. 'When people think of robots in outer space, they tend to seek ones that do things physically,' said Takahashi. 'But I think there is something that could come from focusing on humanoid robots that focus on communication.' Because Kirobo does not need to perform physical activities, it is smaller than most robots that go into space. Kirobo's creator Tomotaka Takahashi shows off his humanoid robot during its unveiling at a press event in Tokyo. Kirobo's design is based on the commercial Robi kit robot with modifications for operating safely in zero gravity, facial recognition and the ability to understand emotions . Weighing just 2.2 pounds and standing at 34cm tall, Kirobo has not been designed to carry out physical activities. Instead it is hoped similar robots will one day assist on space missions by answering astronauts' questions . Kirobo is about 34 centimeters tall (13 inches) and weighs about 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). Its land-based counterpart Mirata looks almost identical but is not designed to go into outer space. Instead, it has the ability to learn through the conversations it has. During the demonstration, Fuminori Kataoka, project general manager from Toyota, asked Kirobo what its dream was. 'I want to create a future where humans and robots can live together and get along,' it answered. Kirobo is scheduled to be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 4, 2013. Tomotaka Takahashi, pictured, is a roboticist at the University of Tokyo, unveils Kirobo, left, a small talking humanoid robot and a backup robot called Mirata, right .
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Talking robot Kirobo is named after 'kibo' which means hope in Japanese .
Kirobo is very small - measuring just 34cm in height - because it has not been designed to carry out physical activities .
The robot is set to join a Japanese astronaut in August and it is hoped that robots like Kirobo will eventually provide assistance on space missions .
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0aaa6fd79737d15207b3263093f43beacc25bee8
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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- The incumbent Basque nationalists won the most seats in Basque regional parliamentary elections on Sunday, but they could lose a 29-year hold on power because three non-nationalist parties won a combined majority for the first time, according to official election results. Socialist candidate Patxi Lopez speaks to reporters after voting Sunday in regional parliamentary elections. The vote for the powerful 75-seat regional parliament and Basque president are seen as a bellwether of the region's sentiment on how to end decades of violence by the Basque separatist group ETA. The moderate Basque Nationalist Party won 30 seats, and its traditional smaller party allies won seven more. But the crucial 38-seat majority went to the Basque branches of Spain's ruling Socialist Party, with 24 seats; the conservative Popular Party, with 13 seats; and the new Progressive Union and Democracy party, with one seat, according to official results. The Socialist candidate, Patxi Lopez, told supporters the vote "legitimized" his bid to "lead the change." Negotiations with other parties to make Lopez the next Basque president were expected in the coming days. The non-nationalist parties have taken a forceful line on trying to end ETA's violence, blamed for nearly 800 deaths. ETA stands for Euskadi ta Askatasuna, or "Basque Homeland and Liberty" in the Basque language. The group wants an independent Basque homeland, but is classified as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States, because of car bombings and fatal shootings. The Basque Nationalist Party seeks self-determination for the 2.1 million Basques but does not support ETA's violence. Some 600 ETA suspects or convicts are in Spanish jails, and three alleged top leaders of the group were arrested last year. But ETA has continued to defy officials -- bomb attacks, including a major blast that damaged a construction company office in Madrid three weeks ago, continue to be attributed to the group. For the first time, political parties linked to ETA were banned from running in the Basque elections. Spanish courts in recent years outlawed a leftist party called Batasuna, and others, saying they secretly and actively aided ETA. One such party holds nine seats in the outgoing parliament. The incumbent Basque president and nationalist leader, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, scolded the Socialists and the conservatives during the campaign as being outsiders and puppets of their national offices in Madrid. But Lopez, the Basque Socialist leader, accused the Basque nationalists of trying to divide the Basques, between those who favor self-determination and those who prefer to remain firmly a part of Spain. The Basques want "dialogue and a change of course," Lopez said. He has vowed to govern for all Basques, and Spain's Socialist Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, campaigned in the Basque region to support Lopez. For years, Socialist and conservative politicians, even low-level town councilors, in the Basque region have been protected by police or private bodyguards due to ETA death threats. Several have been killed nonetheless. But this year, the Basque nationalist party also has come under ETA attack. ETA violence is a regular feature of Basque and Spanish elections. Earlier this week, a predawn bomb attributed to ETA heavily damaged a new Socialist party clubhouse in the Basque town of Lazkao. The next day, the son of a former Socialist councilman there allegedly swung a heavy mallet to smash the glass windows and damage a social club linked to leftist pro-independence supporters. That man reportedly has now fled the town. An ETA statement on Friday, issued to the Basque newspaper Gara, called Sunday's elections "anti-democratic" and predicted they would result in a "fascist parliament." Spain's economic crisis was somewhat less an issue in the relatively prosperous Basque region -- heavy on industry and services -- which still has slim economic growth and an unemployment rate of 8 percent, compared with the national average of nearly 14 percent. The three-province Basque region, whose largest city is Bilbao, has extensive home-rule powers, including a regional police force that is involved in the fight against ETA, control of education and health care, and tax collection. Elsewhere on Sunday, in Spain's northwest Galicia region, the opposition conservatives won a majority in the Galicia regional parliament. They will dislodge the leftist governing coalition, led by the Galicia branch of Spain's Socialist Party. The defeat was seen as blow to Prime Minister Zapatero.
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Elections held for 75-seat regional parliament in Spain's Basque region .
Basque Nationalist Party wins 30 seats, traditional allies win seven more .
Socialist Party and others win a 38-seat majority .
Basque Nationalist Party seeks self-determination for the 2.1 million Basques .
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0aab65c2a4592af55fb60518c455f40971a5d9b0
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Dr Carl Djerassi, the chemist who developed the birth control pill, died aged 91 on Friday . Girls today take it for granted. A rite of passage into adulthood, a hygienic routine, almost a human right. For the great majority, the modern low-dose oral contraceptive arouses little wonder, creates no health anxieties and raises no eyebrows (unless the taker is scandalously far below the age of consent). The Catholic Church still forbids it and some stay faithful to that rule, but as one Irish friend observed ironically: 'It's astonishing how often the Good Lord sends us Catholic families just two babies.' The Pill, in short, is no longer a marvel. Few women who take the Pill, until reports of his death last Friday at the age of 91, would have known that this can largely be credited to one man, the chemist Carl Djerassi. He arrived in the U.S. as a penniless refugee from Nazi-occupied Vienna, and was himself a virgin when he married at 19. In later years, after his invention, he reflected that — without meaning to — he had sparked a social, as well as a scientific, revolution: not to mention a financial splash as his pharmaceutical company broke records on Wall Street. This major breakthrough in human development, as so often happens, was an accident. In 1951, he was working on an arthritis drug when he discovered a way to make synthetic progestogen — mimicking the female sex hormone known as 'nature's contraceptive' and so preventing ovulation. No egg released, no pregnancy. The first pills were tough stuff, and takers had side-effects: nausea, weight gain and in some cases there was raised blood pressure (I knew one woman who nearly died). Gradually, synthetic oestrogen was added and refinements produced the low-dose combined pills of today. It was in 1960 that Britain got the Pill: it was hailed as a breakthrough, not for general sexual liberation but for domestic and family harmony. Pregnancies now could be spaced out and planned for. The Pill sparked a social, as well as a scientific, revolution and it was hailed as a breakthrough for domestic and family harmony . The old latex contraceptive barriers could be discarded with relief, though a few women mistrusted chemicals and stayed with the good old diaphragm. Initially, the Pill was used only by married women. It wasn't until 1964 that clinics and doctors agreed to prescribe it for single women and young girls. And even a few years later, when I got my first prescription, the family planning clinic was an ordeal. Although some of my 1968 college intake boasted that their mums had 'put them' on the Pill, outside that Chelsea bubble, the truth is that the Swinging Sixties didn't really get going until well into the Seventies. So in a small-town clinic you were still questioned closely about the seriousness of your relationship (it was assumed you had just one) and offered embarrassing advice by a stern nurse. I had one memorably excruciating moment: I disgraced myself in the clinic by clumsily dropping the instructional plastic model of the reproductive system and having to crawl under a table to find a lost fallopian tube. T he next day, after taking my first Pill, I went in to work at the local radio station and my first job was to interview a family planning nurse. The same nurse. We avoided one another's eyes. Djerassi came to understand that he was partly responsible for a sexual revolution: in his book This Man's Pill, he said that the invention made him more interested in how science affects society. Though, he said: 'The explosion was much faster than anyone expected.' The first pills were tough stuff, and takers had side-effects: nausea, weight gain and in some cases there was raised blood pressure . Interestingly, he was fiercely opposed by feminists including Germaine Greer. He recalled some 'unusually bitter exchanges' with her and accepted that some women thought he was to be distrusted as a patriarchal male scientist who was poisoning women with chemicals so men could have their way with them. As for the idea of a male Pill, he memorably said: 'Scientifically, we solved that a number of years ago. But . . . would you, as a woman, put your entire reproductive risk in the trust that he has remembered his Pill?' Good point. And it is the social, psychological consequences we have to reflect on now. Whenever science puts a new tool into the hands of humans — whether it's dynamite, gunpowder, the internet or the Pill — there will be both good and bad ways we use it. The huge benefits of protection from unexpected, unwanted pregnancy are obvious, not only for the young and single. We have lost the stigma of illegitimacy — and good riddance, I am just old enough to remember the era of shame — but even now a missed period can produce heart-shaking horror. A career, a life-plan, a relationship melt before your eyes: the idea of termination is instinctively abhorrent to many, but there is real misery in feeling your body being hijacked, taken over by an uncontrollable alien process you weren't braced for. Before the Pill, remember, that often happened — even to the most instinctively 'moral' girls. We all make mistakes. (Incidentally, Djerassi himself ruefully admitted of his second marriage: 'I, the person who synthesised the first Pill, married another woman because I got her pregnant.' He later had a vasectomy.) But it also became clear that men would take it for granted that women were using the Pill. By the mid-Seventies, the assumption was growing that if a woman wasn't 'fixed up', there was something weird about her. Previously, the risk of pregnancy had at least made it easier for an unwilling girl, even a girl in love, to say 'no' to full sex. It offered a breather, a chance to slow down courtship: 'Is this a lasting treasure, or just a moment's pleasure?' The pressure to 'do it' anyway grew as the Pill became a norm. he was working on an arthritis drug when he discovered a way to make synthetic progestogen, pictured is Dr Djerassi in 1940 . I remember being indignantly told it was 'selfish' not to give in to a particular lad, as if women's bodies were a natural resource it was mean to hoard. That's human nature. It is daft to overstate the 'damage to moral fabric' argument. Djerassi himself admitted that the sexual revolution — the separation of sex-for-babies and sex-for-fun — began before his discovery, and would probably have rolled on anyway, though more slowly. But there is no point denying he speeded it up. A nd that alongside the joy and ease and intimacy and happiness of liberated sex, there has been anxiety and unease and a nasty notion — now at least challenged by young feminists — that women's bodies are a commodity for men's convenience, and that sex, that most marvellous of connections, need not involve any intimacy or trust or faith on either side. The Pill has had one other effect, which no one thought about much at the time, but which now ticks like a time-bomb in the heart of every bright professional woman. The phrase 'family planning' and the rarity of surprise-babies nowadays has deceived too many of us into taking it literally. Djerassi predicted a future when his own invention would become redundant, with men and women doing away with the need for contraception altogether by being sterilised — withdrawing their frozen eggs and sperm from a 'bank' when they were ready to have a child via IVF. Already it is easy to assume that we can put off babies until our 40s, or even 50s, and trust science to give nature a hand. But it doesn't always work. The fact is, the ferocious, uncontrollable, youthful fertility which once bred panic does fade, over long years of contraception. And sometimes, it gets too late to have a baby. But these issues aside, may Carl Djerassi rest in peace. On balance, he gave a great thing to womankind and fearless happiness to millions of honest lovers. As with all inventions, it's up to us to use it wisely.
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Dr Carl Djerassi, who developed birth control pill, died aged 91 on Friday .
Chemist's creation sparked a social, as well as a scientific, revolution .
His pharmaceutical company also broke records on Wall Street .
But the pressure to 'do it' anyway grew as the Pill became a norm .
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By . Sam Greenhill . Max Clifford's QC has told Southwark Crown Court his trial is 'haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Saville' Max Clifford's trial has been 'haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Savile', jurors were told yesterday. The Top of the Pops presenter's exposure as a paedophile after his 2011 death led to a succession of celebrities being arrested under the police's Operation Yewtree. Clifford's QC, Richard Horwell, told Southwark Crown Court his client's trial must be seen in this context. He said: 'What a time we live in. This trial has been haunted by the spectre of Jimmy Savile. 'The Jimmy Savile effect cannot be ignored. Why are wealthy celebrities the subject of these accusations?' Clifford himself has branded his accusers compensation-seekers and attention-hunters. The 71-year-old PR agent - who claims he never met Savile - has also said Operation Yewtree was set up 'to try and cover up the embarrassment Savile caused the Met police'. In his closing remarks to the jury yesterday, Mr Horwell rubbished suggestions the publicist was a 'sexual predator'. He said Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst would be spinning in her grave at the prosecution portraying women of the Sixties and Seventies as 'as lacking in all resolve'. Mr Howell accused Clifford's accusers of making up the allegations and telling their family and friends about them. The QC said: 'It doesn't matter if a complainant has reported the complaint to the Archbishop of Canterbury - an unreliable complaint remains an unreliable complaint, no matter how many times it is repeated.' He said the women would have felt 'substantial pressure' to tell police when Operation Yewtree was launched so they did not 'lose face' with the family and friends they had already told their stories to. Mr Horwell accused prosecutors of being 'obsessed with Mr Clifford's sex life' and portraying the PR agent as an 'Olympic-standard sexual athlete'. But he branded the prosecution case 'grubby voyeurism' that was a 'fifth-rate fiction of a standard not even Mills and Boon would countenance.' In his closing remarks to the jury yesterday, Mr Horwell rubbished suggestions the publicist, pictured outside Southwark Crown Court with his daughter Louise, was a 'sexual predator' He said: 'Yes, his sex life was not . conventional, whatever that may be. His sex life and adulterous . relationships are not on trial here. He liked sex. He had a number of . sexual partners. He worked in an environment in which most people were . having affairs. 'But . he told you the sex he had was consensual.' The publicist had earlier . confessed to having four long-term affairs with women while married to . his first wife Elizabeth. 'It doesn't matter if a complainant has . reported the complaint to the Archbishop of Canterbury - an unreliable . complaint remains an unreliable complaint' - Richard Horwell QC . The . court heard that while his accusers have been shielded by their legal . right to anonymity, Clifford's life had been plunged into turmoil since . his arrest in December 2012. Mr Horwell said their claims 'come not from a different time but quite literally from a different age - imagine having to deal with events going back up to 48 years, a time when many people in this court were not even born. Stories made up for whatever reason eventually become fixed in the minds of those who have concocted them.' But Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting, urged the jury not to be fooled by the kiss and tell agent. She branded him a 'risk taker prepared for some danger' who indecently assaulted a string of teenagers over 20 years. She asked them why so many women - who do not know each other - would make complaints of such 'similarity', and why they would have confided in friends many years ago, unless they were telling the truth. The PR guru, pictured outside court yesterday, denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984 . Miss Cottage said Clifford used the same 'pattern again and again' of bragging about the celebrities he knew and the Hollywood careers he could forge before attacking his young victims. She said: 'He is a master in the art of intimidation and manipulation. No one would believe a silly girl. It was an elaborate art.' She added: 'These girls don't know each other but we have this pattern.' Wearing a sky blue blazer, white shirt and dark blue trousers, Clifford shook his head furiously in the dock as Miss Cottage spoke. He denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984. The case continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Richard Horwell QC said his client's trial must be seen in context of Savile .
In closing speech he said 'the Savile effect cannot be ignored'
Rubbished suggestions that Max Clifford was a 'sexual predator'
Accused Clifford's accusers of making up the allegations .
Said prosecutors portrayed PR guru as 'Olympic-standard sexual athlete'
Clifford denies 11 counts of indecent assault on seven teenage girls and women from 1966 to 1984 .
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0aabc9ecdaaff12f92c65edfdc15c7f344058248
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The two children suffocated by their mother in Spain were not fathered by her paedophile partner, a court heard yesterday. Lianne Smith looked furious when the shock DNA results were read out to the jury and denounced them as 'mistaken'. She has admitted killing Rebecca, five, and 11-month-old Daniel in their hotel beds on the Costa Brava in May 2010 after her partner was arrested on child sex charges. The jury of seven men and two women retired to consider their verdicts at 11.30am local time. Scroll down to see the interview where Lianne admits to killing her children... Smith admits suffocating Rebecca and Daniel but claims to have been in an unsound mental state at the time of the killings . Lianne Smith is led into court in Girona, Spain, this morning on the third day of her murder trial, where the court heard DNA tests prove her partner did not father her victims . Judge Adolfo Garcia Morales told them that if they find Smith not guilty of murder on the grounds of insanity, she will be sent to a secure psychiatric hospital until she is cured. He said: 'If a person is completely insane they must be acquitted and there is no sentence. But they are not released into the street. 'They are sent to a secure psychiatric unit until they are cured. That might be two years or it might be 25 years. They are not released until they are cured.' The prosecution accepts Smith suffers from an unspecified psychosis but claim it is not too severe that she cannot be held accountable for her crimes. Defence lawyer Jenifer Lahoz Abos argues Smith suffers from such a severe mental illness she cannot be heard criminally responsible for their deaths. She is seeking an acquittal, claiming Smith was in a state of ‘psychiatric disturbance’ and suffering insurmountable fear when the tragedy happened. Martin Smith, who was found dead in his cell in January . Yesterday a psychiatrist claimed Smith smothered her children with a plastic bag 'out of love' because she did not want them taken into care. Her partner, TV hypnostist Martin Smith, hanged himself in prison earlier this year – believing his partner had killed his son and daughter. But they were not his children, the jury at Girona provincial court in north-east Spain, was told. A police witness, identified only by her badge number 12602, revealed: 'DNA tests on the children showed that Martin Smith was not their biological father.' Smith, 45, of Lichfield, Staffordshire, reacted with fury and insisted the tests were wrong. She gave birth to Daniel in 2009 while on the run in Spain with Mr Smith. Her daughter Rebecca had been born in the UK in 2005 while she and Mr Smith – who shared a surname but were not married – were living together. Their relationship was violent and Smith's two older children from a previous relationship, witnessed ugly rows. Her eldest daughter, Sarah Richardson, now 24, was repeatedly raped by her stepfather over nearly a decade. When she finally told police – and later waived her right to anonymity – Mr Smith was arrested but ran away to Spain before his trial. Smith fled with him, and while living a fugitive lifestyle in Barcelona, she found a job in a nursery, and then became pregnant with Daniel. The couple fled their first flat in Barcelona within hours of Daniel being born. An American neighbour told the Mail: 'It was very strange. She came back from hospital after giving birth to her little boy and left the same day. We never saw them again.' Police eventually tracked down Martin Smith in May 2010 and deported him to the UK where he was found guilty of sexually abusing his stepdaughter Sarah and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He committed suicide in January this . year, aged 46. Two weeks after his arrest, Lianne Smith, a former . manager of children's services at Cumbria county council, suffocated her . children in the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar after giving them a . 'perfect holiday'. She spent the night with their lifeless bodies before asking the hotel receptionist to call police. Martin Smith was previously thought to be the father of Daniel and Rebecca, whom his partner has admitted killing in a Spanish hotel room . Yesterday her trial heard she had . 'killed them out of love' – because she feared social services were . about to take them away. Forensic psychiatrist Itziar Idiaquez Alberdi . said: 'She believed the children would be taken away from her and . institutionalised. For her, this was worse than death. 'She had spoken about this with her . partner (Martin Smith) and they had talked about taking their own lives . if they were ever separated.' Asked if Smith could distinguish between . good and evil when she killed the children, the psychiatrist replied: . 'She was convinced that it was the best thing she could do. She killed . them out of love. She loved the children.' Lianne Smith in court in Girona today, where she insisted the DNA test results must have been incorrect . Dragged: Smith being led from a police car into court during her trial . Prison psychiatrist Harry Barker said . Smith viewed the deaths of her two children as 'an unavoidable . catastrophe'. She suffered from a psychosis that made her lose contact . with reality, he told the court. Smith had asked her young daughter if . she would prefer to live 'a few very happy days with her mother or a . long time without her mother', he said. Rebecca had apparently answered she . wanted to stay with her mother. After killing the children, Smith cut . her wrists and attempted to hang herself. But forensic doctor Elisabet . Vazquez Martinez said Smith's injuries were only 'superficial'. The jury must decide if Smith is criminally responsible or mentally ill. The trial continues. Horror: Smith, with son Daniel, was placed on suicide watch after learning of her partner's hanging in prison . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Lianne Smith tells jury in Girona results must be 'mistaken'
Martin Smith hanged himself in January while in prison for child sex crimes .
Mother admits smothering son and daughter at Costa Brava resort .
But her defence lawyer is calling for acquittal on grounds of mental illness .
Psychiatrist says Smith was in a psychotic state and acted 'out of love'
Jury has now retired to consider verdict .
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0aace03cecb26ef243c5e8dc97a0ad0287325bf0
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A proposed health-care compromise by the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee lacks a government-run insurance option favored by Democrats and would tax the most expensive health insurance plans, a source close to the discussions told CNN Monday. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, is the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. As expected, the proposal from Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, excludes the public insurance option to compete with private insurers. However, it would allow for the creation of nonprofit health care cooperatives -- an idea that some moderate Democrats and Republicans have expressed possible interest in supporting. The potential compromise proposal was sent to key Finance Committee negotiators Saturday night. It is considered a last-ditch effort to secure Republican votes for a health-care bill as President Obama pushes the issue with a planned speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night. So far, none of the three Republican senators involved in talks with Baucus on the compromise have indicated whether they support the version he is proposing. Congressional liberals are pushing strongly for inclusion of a public option; conservatives are sharply opposed. Obama has said he supports a public option but has not clearly indicated he will veto a bill that fails to include it. On Monday, Obama reiterated his support for a public option in a Labor Day speech to a union gathering in Cincinnati. He outlined Democratic health-care proposals that include a public option as part of a menu of insurance choices, including private health-care plans, that the legislation would create. "I continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance choices would help improve quality and bring down costs," Obama said to loud cheers. The president also indicated he would push hard for the House and Senate to move forward on passing health-care legislation in his upcoming address to Congress. "The Congress and the country have been engaged in a vigorous debate for many months," Obama said. "And the debate has been good, and that's important because we have to get this right. "But every debate at some point comes to an end," he continued, to growing applause. "At some point, it's time to decide. At some point, it's time to act. And Ohio, it's time to act to get this done." Baucus' bill would cost less than $900 billion over 10 years, according to the source who spoke to CNN. The price tag is at least $100 billion less than any other health-care reform bill under consideration by Congress, the source said. As with other reform proposals, the bill would bar insurance companies from dropping a policyholder in the event of illness as long as that person has paid his or her premium in full. It adds new protections for people with pre-existing conditions and establishes tax credits to help low and middle-income families purchase insurance coverage, the source noted. It creates health insurance exchanges to make it easier for small groups and individuals to buy insurance. The bill would be paid for, in part, by a new tax on health insurance companies that provide high-end "Cadillac" insurance plans, the source added. Supporters of such a tax -- initially proposed by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and other Democrats several weeks ago -- say will it help curb the cost of health care by discouraging employers from offering such plans. They also argue that consumers, in turn, will be discouraged from overusing the health care system. Watch senators discuss health care talks » . Critics claim the new tax will cause insurance companies to raise rates on all of their customers, even those without more expensive plans. The so-called "Gang of Six" Senate negotiators -- a group of three Democrats and three Republicans on the Finance Committee -- is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the proposal. The source, while stressing that the proposed bill is not a final product, said it closely reflects the group's work and areas of agreement. Obama's planned speech to Congress reflects how overhauling the nation's ailing health-care system has become his top domestic priority. He laced his speech Monday with references to health care costs rising at three times the rate of wages, and insurance industry practices that deny coverage for pre-existing conditions or prevent people from obtaining coverage if they lose their jobs. Multiple sources told CNN Friday that the administration is preparing for the possibility of delivering its own legislation to Capitol Hill sometime after the president's address. One source called the possibility of new legislation a "contingency" approach if efforts by Baucus to craft a deal fall through. A big open question is whether two Republican members of the Gang of Six -- Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming -- will support the bipartisan proposal. White House and Democratic leadership sources have said for some time they do not think Grassley and Enzi will sign on. A source close to the White House said Friday that the administration is leaning toward dropping the public option, and continues to zero in on trying to convince moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe, another of the Senate Finance Committee negotiators, to come on board. Snowe and the White House have been discussing a trigger provision that would mandate creation of a public health insurance option if specific thresholds for expanded coverage and other changes are not met. Support by Snowe would improve the chances of the Senate's Democratic majority to compile the 60 votes necessary to overcome a Republican filibuster against a health care bill. The Senate Finance Committee is the last of five congressional committees needed to approve health-care legislation before it can be taken up by the full Senate and House of Representatives. Different forms of the legislation proposed by Democrats have already cleared three House committees, as well as the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. CNN's Ted Barrett and Dana Bash contributed to this report.
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Compromise lacks a government-run insurance option favored by some Democrats .
Max Baucus' proposal to negotiators would allow nonprofit cooperatives instead .
Source says bill would cost less than $900 billion over 10 years .
Some funding would come from new tax on companies with high-end plans .
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0aacf95e048e395ac10bfa01c21c23847bcbdecc
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 10:18 EST, 16 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:26 EST, 16 August 2013 . A jilted lover who staged a sit-in protest on an electricity pylon until his girlfriend took him back was killed by a massive shock as he climbed back down. Heartbroken Wan Sun had climbed to the top of the steel pylon in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, eastern China, and refused to move until his ex took him back. But as police brought her to the scene of the drama, Wan hurried down and stepped on a steel support strut while he was still holding onto a high voltage cable and burst into flame. GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Scroll down for video. Stubborn and stupid: Jilted Wan Sun had climbed to the top of the steel pylon in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, eastern China, and refused to move until his ex took him back . High voltage: But as police brought her to the scene of the drama, Wan hurried down . Electrocuted: But on his way down he stepped on a steel support strut while he was still holding onto a high voltage cable and burst into flame . 'There was a huge flash and lots of smoke as he was suddenly earthed and all the electricity zapped through him,' said one horrified witness. A police spokesman confirmed: 'The victim died instantly.' It is not the first time a lover has been electrocuted trying to demonstrate his passion atop an electric pylon in China. In 2011, man suffered serious burns after climbing a high-voltage electricity pylon in an attempt to propose to his girlfriend. Horrifying: A witness said there was a 'huge flash and lots of smoke as he was suddenly earthed and all the electricity zapped through him' The would-be Romeo attempted the stunt two days after he has split up with his girlfriend in Quanzhou, southern China. In an effort to win her back, he decided to climb a pylon near to where she worked and cover it in signs declaring his love and asking her to marry him. But after ascending the metal pylon, he was electrocuted and thrown off into a muddy puddle below. Witnesses called emergency services and when firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the man's clothes had been virtually burnt off his skin but he was still breathing. He was stretchered to a waiting ambulance and rushed to hospital. Doctors say he suffered serious burns, but is now out of danger. Unfortunately, his ex-girlfriend was less than impressed with the stunt, which she called 'stupid' and 'too extreme', and rejected his proposal.
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Jilted Wan Sun had climbed to the top of steel pylon in Changzhou, China .
Standing high above the ground he demanded his girlfriend take him back .
When she came he hurried down but stepped on a steel support strut while he was still holding onto a high voltage cable and burst into flame .
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0ab2c1d0d04904fdc38a81091ddd003012e6a241
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The report suggested that fears of abduction, traffic accidents and bullying are among the factors that explain why parents do not let their children walk to school . Only a quarter of primary school children are allowed to travel to school alone, a study shows. Examining how many pupils walk, cycle or take the bus to school unaccompanied, the report by the Policy Studies Institute revealed a dramatic fall from 86 per cent in 1971. It also showed a startling contrast with Germany, where 75 per cent of children travel alone. The report suggested that fears of abduction, traffic accidents and bullying are among the factors that explain the lack of autonomy for the pupils in England. Mayer Hillman of the PSI urged parents to encourage their children to be more independent in order to help their development. He said: ‘Wrapping our kids in cotton wool may seem like we are keeping them safe, but it makes growing up harder and less fun.’ In 1971, when the research by the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) at Westminster University was first carried out, 86 per cent of UK primary pupils travelled alone between home and school. Now it is just 25 per cent, while in Germany, where children cycle, walk or take the bus to school alone years before British children, the figure is 75 per cent. Research fellow Ben Watson, who co-authored the study, said: ‘Independent mobility has been shown to be good for children’s wellbeing and development, yet our research shows it has dropped significantly in the last four decades. ‘The experience from Germany shows that this drop is not an inevitable result of modern life.’ he added. The PSI conducted studies on child mobility in 1971, 1990 and 2010 in primary and secondary schools in five different areas of England while colleagues in Germany did the same. The researchers found that the lack of independence for youngsters seen in the UK was down to a number of factors including fear of abduction, traffic accidents and bulling by other children. Cath Prisk, director of Play England, said: ‘This study confirms our own research that there are more barriers to playing out and travelling independently for children today than for previous generations. Interestingly, the research shows that children in other countries, such as Germany, are able to enjoy this basic right far more than their English peers. ‘Parents who want to buck this worrying trend should think about giving their kids the gift of independence at home, on the doorstep, in their neighbourhood and further afield.’ The surveys of children and their parents were conducted in 10 schools (five primary and five secondary) in five areas of England: Islington, Nottingham, Stevenage, Winchester and rural Oxfordshire. In Germany, Kvln Innenstadt, Witten, Kvln Chorweiler, Wuppertal-Langerfeld and Bochum were the locations surveyed. The children were asked whether they were allowed to cross main roads alone, uses buses and bicycles without an adult, come home from school alone, travel to other places on their own or with friends, and to go out after dark alone.
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In Germany 75 per cent of children travel alone, according to report .
Fears of abduction and bullying are among reasons why parents will not let children walk to school .
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0ab2c343f5fb12fbb47594aeb1843f52480313b7
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(CNN) -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was once a student revolutionary himself, perhaps not much different from the thousands of protesters who this week have taken to the streets in Iran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became a political activist while a religious scholar studying under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini . Khamenei became a political activist while a religious scholar studying under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, among others, according to his biography on his official Web site. He was part of a circle of clerics who opposed the rule of the shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and was jailed by the shah's secret police, the Savak, at least six times in the 1960s and 1970s. He says he was tortured in prison before being exiled in 1976, three years before the revolution that deposed the shah. Khomeini was in exile in Paris, France, when the shah fled Iran in 1979. He appointed Khamenei to represent him on an Islamic Revolutionary Council, alongside other key figures such as Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The appointment may have been a career-making moment for Khamenei, who was a fairly low-level scholar at the time, said Iran analyst Shireen Hunter, a visiting scholar at Georgetown University in Washington. Learn more about Iran's recent history . "He is not qualified to be an ayatollah," or top-ranking Islamic scholar, she said, saying he had picked up the title by dint of succeeding Khomeini as supreme leader, "like an honorary doctorate." Khamenei, now 70, was briefly minister of defense and head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the early 1980s before becoming president, a post he held from 1982 to 1990. In power, he clashed ideologically with Rafsanjani, favoring a more left-wing politics than Rafsanjani, who came from a more bourgeois background than the poor Khamenei. He also locked horns with the man who was prime minister when he was president -- Mir Hossein Moussavi, now the most prominent opposition leader. The two had similar anti-American, left-wing politics but struggled over power in what Hunter called "the two-headed monster" that was then the Iranian political structure. "There were turf battles between the president and the prime minister," she said. Khomeini died in 1989, and Khamenei was appointed the next supreme leader. The post of prime minister was abolished. Rafsanjani seems to have been a "kingmaker" in the elevation of Khamenei to the top job, Hunter said, perhaps thinking he would be the power behind the throne. But with time, Khamenei has become his own man, she said. Rafsanjani was president in the 1990s, but lost a comeback attempt in 2005 -- defeated by current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As supreme leader, Khamenei is the ultimate arbiter of policy in Iran. He appoints the Guardian Council, the country's election authority. He also appoints key posts in the intelligence services and the armed forces, including the powerful Revolutionary Guard. Additionally, he confirms the president's election. In theory, the supreme leader is appointed by a body of clerics whom voters elect. But in practice, this body -- the Assembly of Experts -- has answered to the supreme leader. Khamenei's authority has been challenged at times. Nearly half the members of Iran's parliament criticized him openly in 2004 for ordering general elections to go ahead despite a widespread belief that they would not be free or fair. The elections took place as scheduled. Khamenei supports the country's controversial nuclear program, and when President Obama reached out directly to the people of Iran with a video message, it was Khamenei who responded. Khamenei said in March he saw no change in U.S. policy toward Iran despite Obama's promise of a "new beginning." He said a change in rhetoric was not enough, and Washington must practice what it preaches, according to the English-language Press TV channel in Iran. He hailed the disputed Iranian presidential election as "a miracle" for the record turnout, but that very public enthusiasm for the election may signal a shift that Khamenei failed to anticipate. "He has now very much become his own man, but the country has changed," Hunter said. "Look at the women's situation. They make a big deal out of saying how many women they have educated. That is true, but then you cannot expect them to keep doing things the same way."
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Post on Islamic Revolutionary Council may have been career-making .
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was minister of defense, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards .
Mir Hossein Moussavi was prime minister when Khamenei was president .
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0ab2c6142ec356025ca095b341c8622a2021e994
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By . Emily Payne . Some of Greece's most celebrated beauties are getting a facelift. And after almost 2,500 years it's not surprising they're looking a little weather-beaten. The Caryatid statues, which until the late 1970s propped up a section of the Erechtheion Temple on the Acropolis, are being cleansed of grime inside the museum where they're now housed. The Caryatids: It will take about seven months to clean each of the larger than life-sized figurines . Iconic beauty: A view of the illuminated Acropolis above the old town of Athens . Restoration work is taking place in the Acropolis museum in Athens, surrounded by a white fabric screen to protect visitors from laser beams, which can cause permanent eye injury. Museum director Dimitris Pantermalis said . the main reason for cleaning the sculptures on the spot was to avoid . the potential hazards of moving them. One of the six Caryatids was removed by Lord Elgin in the 19th century and today stands in the British Museum. Makeover: Conservator Costas Vassiliadis uses a laser to clean a Caryatid at the Acropolis museum in Athens . The other five were removed from the . Erechtheion in 1979 to protect them from air pollution and acid rain, . and replaced by copies. But there's the additional value of offering tourists the spectacle of restoring some of the greatest glories of the ancient world. 'We want to offer visitors a backstage peek,' he said. Visitors are impressed: 'The fact that it was in situ, taking place in the museum, it does bring it home to you the actual level of care that is needed to bring these back to life,' said British tourist Trevor Richards, from Manchester. Planning began in 2011 and the restoration is expected to be completed this June . It takes about seven months to cleanse each of the larger than life-sized statues, which were carved around 420 B.C. Work began in 2011, and is expected to be finished in June. 'The process removes all of the pollution, the smoke and everything that has settled on the statues for more than a century, and leaves intact the patina, that orange hue that the statues took on with the passage of centuries,' Pantermalis said. Costas Vassiliadis cleans one of the striking statues which were created in 420 BC . 'It's done with very great care to avoid any possible damage.' The Erechtheion Temple was sacred to the gods Athena and Poseidon, and associated with the first kings of Athens. It later served as a church, a Frankish palace and a Turkish harem. Although Greece's oldest examples of pillars in the human form are a century older, the Caryatids are the most famous of their kind, and were widely imitated from Roman times to Europe's classical revival. Visitors admire the Caryatids as the operation, inside a white fabric box, is relayed on a monitor at the museum . The conservators are using laser technology developed specially for the Acropolis sculptures by the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas in Crete. 'The laser beam hits the black crust formed on the surface of the statues over the years, and that absorbs energy and disintegrates,' said conservator Costas Vassiliadis, who heads the six-strong team. 'The crust has a much lower resistance threshold than the marble, which is not affected.'
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The restoration process began at the Acropolis Museum in Athens in 2011 .
Each larger than life-size figurine takes seven months to clean .
The statues were removed from the Erechtheion Temple in the 1970s .
One, removed in the 19th century, now stands in the British Museum .
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0ab34ea3704178a08dc1223bb10826912c73bd19
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(CNN) -- News of Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy has instantly increased awareness of hereditary forms of cancer caused by mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. While the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were discovered in the mid-1990s, genetic testing for the genes is increasingly available. Jolie's case highlights the importance of knowing one's family history and learning one's cancer risks in order to address them proactively. Everyone has the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. We have two copies of each gene and get one each from our mother and father. They play a role in protecting the body against the development of cancer. Individuals with mutations in either of these genes have increased cancer risks, most notably for breast and ovarian cancer. Individuals with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 benefit from tailored management aimed at reducing cancer risks and detecting cancers early when they are most treatable. Genetic counselors and other health care providers can help determine if testing is appropriate and who in the family should undergo testing first. In addition, it is important to provide educational and anticipatory guidance on the impact and implications of genetic test results. Five reasons we love Angelina Jolie . Here are some common questions that our team is asked regarding genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer: . What is BRCA testing? BRCA testing is a genetic test that looks at the sequence or code of the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes. Changes or mutations in the genetic code indicate increased cancer risks. The test can be performed on a blood or saliva sample. It takes about three weeks to get results. What does a positive result mean? A positive test result in BRCA1 or BRCA2 means that the person has a genetic mutation that increases cancer risk. A positive BRCA1 result gives a woman a 60% to 80% lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 30% to 45% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. A positive BRCA2 result gives a woman a 50% to 70% lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 10% to 20% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. Opinion: When removing breast is not the answer . BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also associated with other moderately increased cancer risks that vary, depending on which gene has a mutation. For example, BRCA2 mutations are also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and male breast cancer. Does everyone need to be tested? If not, who should be? Only about 5% of breast cancers and 10% to 15% of ovarian cancers are caused by mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. Therefore, not everyone needs to undergo genetic testing. Genetic counselors and other health care providers can help determine whether genetic testing is appropriate by exploring one's personal and family history of cancer and other factors such as ethnicity, as BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are more common in certain populations. How much is BRCA testing, and does insurance cover it? BRCA testing is usually covered by insurance if certain criteria are met. There are different types of BRCA testing, ranging in cost from $475 to about $4,000. Genetic counselors are helpful in determining what type of testing is indicated. Testing is less expensive once a mutation has been identified within a family. Who should get genetic counseling? Individuals with a personal or family history of breast cancer appearing before age 50, ovarian cancer at any age, breast cancer in both breasts, male breast cancer, multiple cases of breast cancer within a family, and breast cancer in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry should get genetic counseling to determine whether they should be tested. When should I be tested? In addition to determining if BRCA testing is appropriate for you or your family, your health care providers can help you consider when to undergo genetic testing. Why more women are choosing double mastectomies . It is important to consider when medical management might be changed for individuals with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, as this can guide the decision of when to test. For example, breast cancer screening typically starts at age 25 for women with mutations. Since BRCA mutations are not associated with pediatric cancer risks, testing for children is not recommended. What factors should I weigh in deciding whether to have a preventive mastectomy or oophorectomy (ovary removal)? Detailed discussions with genetics experts, surgical oncologists, plastic surgeons and genetic counselors are important steps in considering whether and when a prophylactic mastectomy or oophorectomy is right for you. While the lifetime risk for breast and ovarian cancers in BRCA carriers are high, the risks increase with age. Considering the risk of breast or ovarian cancer based on age can be helpful in timing these interventions. Since breast cancer screening is good at picking up breast cancers early, when they are most treatable, screening is a reasonable option for carriers. Since ovarian cancer screening has not been proven reliably to catch ovarian cancers early, risk-reducing oophorectomy is recommended for BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers, ideally between the ages of 35 and 40. Should I test my breasts?
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Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes; a mutation can show increased cancer risk .
Not everyone needs to be tested for the gene mutation .
Genetic counselors and other providers can help determine whether to test and when .
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0ab5929d6d3956f5d1a3645fc81adcbe301f1404
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A Mexican family has been jailed for gouging out the eyes of their five-year-old relative with a spoon during a satanic ritual to bring about the end of the world. Fernando Caleb Alvarado Rios was ordered to close his eyes out of respect with his mother, grandparents, aunt and uncles as they danced in a circle and called on Satan to reveal himself. But when he was too scared to do so, his mother, Maria del Carmen Garcia Rios, grabbed a spoon and the entire group gouged them out. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Fernando Caleb Alvarado Rios, now aged seven, had his eyes gouged out in May 2012 by his mother, aunt, two uncles and grandparents during a satanic ritual because he refused to close his eyes out of respect . Jailed: Maria del Carmen Garcia Rios has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for the attack on her son . They were caught when neighbours, who had heard loud chanting, came to investigate and saw the child screaming in pain. Today, more than two years after the incident in May 2012, a court has sentenced the group to 30 years each in jail. Fernando has since been given glass eyes and is now in care. The family, from the town of Nezahualcoyotl, believed the ritual would bring them closer to Satan who could claim them as his own and save them from a deadly earthquake. Neighbour, Joaquin Arguello, told the court, that he had always thought the family were devout and deeply religious, but had not realised that they were Satanists. Recovering: The child, pictured playing with Mexico state governor, now has glass eyes and is in care . Escape: He was born into a family that believed Satan could save them from a fast-approaching apocalypse . He said: 'We could hear screaming and we were banging on the door but nobody was answering, then a police patrol came past and one of the women who was with us ran into the road to flag it down, and officers forced their way inside.' Policeman Benet Curiel said that they had witnessed the scene of horror inside in which the scantily clad Satanists had been hunched over the screaming boy in the kitchen and that the two women were covered in blood. Reading from his notes of the encounter he said: 'We called for an ambulance, and we were keeping the group against the wall at gunpoint and away from the boy. Rescue: Neighbours in the town of Nezahualcoyotl heard the boy's screams and rushed to save him . Building a new life: Fernando will be given specialist care and a new home as his family is jailed for life . 'I asked one of the women what was going on and she told me her name was Carmen Rios Garcia, and that the boy was her son. 'She identified him as Fernando Caleb Alvarado Rios, and said he was five years old, and said that she and her sister Lizbeth had done it.' She admitted that she had told him repeatedly to close his eyes and when he had told her 'No, I do not want to close them' she had ordered the others to help remove his eyes.
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Boy was forced to call on Satan with his mother, aunt, uncles, grandparents .
They ordered him to close his eyes out of respect but he was too scared to .
Mother grabbed a wooden spoon and gouged them out with others' help .
Neighbours in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico, heard the screams, called police .
His mother, aunt, two uncles, and grandparents sentenced to 30 years each .
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